Shoji Hamada studied in London and worried about his family and returned to Japan in 1924, after a big earthquake hit Kanto region including Tokyo in the previous year. He loved country life in England and learned a lot from it, which finally made him decide to settle down in Mashiko, a small pottery town 100 km northeast of Tokyo, after spending several winters

One of the important figures in Japanese studio pottery is Shoji Hamada (1894 – 1978). He was also one of the four key contributors to Mingei Japanese folk art movement and was designated as one of the first National Living Treasure awardees.

Here are his words — “My pottery found its way in Kyoto, started in England, learned in Okinawa, and was brought up in

The Japanese folk art movement, or mingei, was originally developed in 1920s and mainly led by a Japanese philosopher Soetsu Yanagi (1889-1961).

It was only half a century since Japan opened up the county, and like other Japanese people at that era, he and his friends appreciated Western art very much. They firstly tried to collect Western art pieces and to open a museum to exhibit them. However, after Great Kanto Earthquake

In Japan, origami is something for pleasure and also something praying for. Origami became popular in Edo period and it was incorporating in kindergarten education in the Meiji Period (1868 to 1912). It is now taught in a handicraft and drawing class at elementary school. Generally, it is very common for mothers to teach children how to make cranes and other various figures by origami at home. Origami is a

In 2014, 3 types of Japanese Washi papers, Sekishubanshi (石州半紙), Honminoshi (本美濃紙) and Hosokawashi (細川紙) were registered as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

Washi is Japanese traditional handmade paper which is designated as one of the intangible cultural assets. Washi has a long history in Japan. The Shosoin (National Treasure House) in Nara has a 1200-year-old book in which every page is cut from a different washi. As washi is generally

The techniques used in gift wrapping eventually gave rise to the sophisticated craft “origami”. Wrapping gifts has been a very common custom in Japan since Kamakura Period (1185 to 1333). When money or goods are handed, they are usually wrapped in paper or put in an envelope. It is etiquette to put money in an envelope when it is personally handed to someone. In case of handing money without wrapping in

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “ORIGAMI”? Folded paper cranes? Colourful Washi paper? Origami is the traditional Japanese art of folding a sheet of paper into various shapes such as birds, animals and many other things without using scissors or glue. For centuries, origami has been a favourite leisure activity for people throughout Japan.

Ceremonial origami and entertainment origami

Origami can be categorised into two parts, ceremonial origami which is

Tea ceremony was developed as a social activity among high-class men. They gathered and discussed various topics with a course of meal and tea. Senrikyu established that gathering as an ceremonial art in 16^th century, having defined the manner and encouraged participants to appreciate the decoration and equipment used during the ceremony. Tea ceremony since 17^th century functioned like salons in France in 18-19^th century where people exchanged cultural and intellectual

You may be surprised to hear that all sakura, cherry trees in Japan are clones grafted from a single tree.

During end of March and beginning of April is the cherry blossom season when tourists and locals rush to enjoy the beautiful but short-lived pale pink flowers. It is the type of sakura called Somei Yoshino that we see almost everywhere in Japan and that Japan Meteorological Agency gives forecast when it fully

koicha, thick green tea

usucha, thin green tea

Today, Japanese regard tea ceremony as a representative example of traditional Japanese culture. The full ceremony takes around four hours and it is composed with the first greeting, a course meal called kaiseki, sweet, sake (Japanese rice wine), short break to enjoy walking in the garden,