Journal — Stories from the world of Japanese craft — makers, beauty, seasons, and the table.
What is Sometsuke?
Sometsuke is the traditional blue-and-white porcelain technique that uses the cobalt pigment gosu on…
Six Sustainable Japanese Craft Makers
Discover six Japanese craft makers embracing sustainable practices for mindful everyday living.
Interview With An Artist: Ohigashi Alyne’s Nature-Inspired Tobe Ware
Step into the world of Ohigashi Alyne and discover how nature, family, and memory…
Meet the Incense Masters: Awaji Island’s Art of Healing Aroma
Discover Awaji Island’s incense heritage and learn how traditional craft shapes refined fragrances for…
Taruta Hiroshi: Glowing Lines Carved in Celadon
Discover Seto ware artist Taruta Hiroshi’s celadon vessels, where carved porcelain lines glow with…
Rebecca Menasché
Wakunami Madoka: In Dialogue with Jomon Pottery
Meet ceramic artist Wakunami Madoka, whose hand-shaped works reinterpret ancient Jomon pottery.
From Arita to Your Table: The Enduring Legacy of Gen-emon Kiln
Visit Gen-emon Kiln in Arita and learn in our interview how bold, hand-painted blue…
Fukube Kaji: A Blacksmith Where Tools Sustain Tradition
Discover Fukube Kaji, a 118-year-old Ishikawa blacksmith crafting durable knives and tools rooted in…
Nakada Kazuo: A Master of Silver on Porcelain
Meet Nakada Kazuo, a master artisan of Kutani ware and underglaze silver leaf.
Behind the Scenes at A Raku Ware Workshop
Explore the grace of Raku ware, born from firelight for the tea ceremony, its…
Hariya Kinuyo: Soft in Form, Powerful Beneath
Meet maki-e artist Kinuyo Hariya and discover the story behind her maneki neko, made…
Behind the Scenes of Our Original Ramen Bowls
Discover how our original ramen bowls were born in Tajimi, blending Mino ware tradition…
Designing Japanese Incense: The Story Behind “ma"
Discover the story behind “ma,” MUSUBI KILN’s original Japanese incense.
Hori Toshiro: The Living Legacy of Shino and Setoguro Teaware
Learn how Hori Toshiro became a master of ceramic teaware and his mission to…
Nishikata Ryota: Forging Beauty in Motion
Learn more about Nishikata Ryota’s rare tsuiki metalwork, crafted with precision and sculptural beauty.
Komatsu Shigeo: A Maki-e Artisan of Stillness, in Gold and Lacquer
Meet master lacquer painter Komatsu Shigeo, and learn how he carries on Aizu’s legacy…
Workshop Visit: Behind the Scenes at Baizan Kiln
Step inside Baizan Kiln, makers of Tobe ware with bold blue arabesques. See how…
Fukushima Kazuhiro: At the Crossroads of Tradition and the Avant-Garde
Step inside Fukushima Kazuhiro’s studio, where Iga clay, fire, and shimmering vidro glaze meet…
Edomae Spirit in Texas: An Interview with Chef Leo Kekoa of Kinzo Sushi
Follow Chef Leo Kekoa’s chef journey to Kinzo Sushi, where Edomae omakase, artistry, and…
Kidoguchi Yoshio: A Painter of Light, in Gold and Shadow
Kanazawa gold leaf artisan Kidoguchi Yoshio blends light, shadow, and tradition into timeless expressions…
Artist Interview: Ohigashi Alyne’s Journey of Creation
Ohigashi Alyne transforms memories of sea and soil into botanical Tobe ware, blending resilience,…
Maki-e in Transparency: The Innovative Art of Hariya Masayuki
Maki-e artist Hariya Masayuki fuses tradition and acrylic, creating natsume tea containers of shimmering…
Porcelain Botanicals: The Natural Textures of Ohigashi Alyne
Step inside the lush atelier of Tobe ware artist Ohigashi Alyne, where porcelain blooms…
Visiting Kaitakudo Art For Hanging Scrolls
Discover the intricate process behind Kaitakudo Art's hanging scrolls, where every step is done…