Journal — Stories from the world of Japanese craft — makers, beauty, seasons, and the table.
Craft & Technique
The Story of Lost Porcelain: A Journey Through Zentoku-ji
Learn about the history of Usuki ware, a legendary porcelain ware from Usuki City…
Experiencing Kintsugi Gold Repair
"Kintsugi" is a Japanese art of repairing broken pottery, glass, lacquerware, and other items…
What is Kutani Shoza Style?
Learn about shoza, a painting style that uses Western-style paints alongside the traditional Kutani…
What is Kutani Mokubei Style?
Mokubei is a style characterized by filling blank spaces with calming red pigments.
What is Akae-Kinrande "Eiraku" Style?
Akae-kinrande is a gorgeous, sophisticated, and graceful style of Kutani ware. It has a…
What is Kutani Yoshidaya Style?
Yoshidaya style’s charm is its use of translucent pigment and delicate painting style, as…
What is Akae-Saibyo "Iidaya" style?
Akae-saibyo–red dots and lines with intricate detalization–has an eye-catching, detailed beauty.
What is Kutani Sometsuke Style?
Sometsuke is a style that paints a canvas only in indigo pigments. The beauty…
Kutani Ware Styles Born from Japan's Modernization
There are various Kutani ware styles and techniques, ranging from gosai-de derived from Ko-Kutani,…
What is Ko-Kutani Style?
Discover the bold colors and dynamic brushwork of Ko-Kutani style, the vibrant origin of…
The Process of Making Kutani Ware
Kutani ware, while its vivid hues and bold patterns set it apart among Japanese…
Decorative Techniques for Japanese Lacquerware
Lacquerware is a representative Japanese craft. Its smooth, moist texture and elegant luminous beauty…
Lacquer craftsmen of Yamanaka
The process of lacquer coating is roughly divided into three different processes; base coating,…
About “Rokkoyo” Japanese Six Ancient Kilns
In this issue, we will introduce the characteristics and attractions of the Rokkoyo kilns…