East Asia
Iwayado Tansu (wooden chests)
The origins of Iwayado Tansu date back to the end of the eighteenth century when the custodian of Iwayado castle had his retainers look...
Hagi-yaki
Returning from a campaign with Toyotomi Hideyoshi on the Korean peninsula, the feudal lord, Mori Terumoto brought back with him to Japan two Korean...
Kyo Butsudan
Household Buddhist altars were a variation of miniature shrines called zushi and were originally used exclusively by the warrior classes. It is thought that...
Satsuma-yaki
The origins of satsuma-yaki date back to the sixteenth century. The local feudal lord, Shimazu, returned from the Korean peninsula with some potters who...
Iga-yaki
The origins of this ware date back to sometime between the second half of the seventh century and eighth century A.D. At the time,...
Miyagi dento kokeshi (dolls)
It is said that these dolls were made to sell to people visiting the hot springs in the north east of the country from...
Wajima nuri (lacquer)
Wajima is located in the Ishikawa Prefecture on Honshu island. Although the oldest piece of Wajima nuri is the shunuri-tobira made in the Muromachi...
Bizenyaki
Bizen is one of Japan's six most famous kilns with a history going back some one thousand years to the Heian period (794-1185) when...
Edo Karakami (paper work)
The word “karakami” originally referred to a type of craft paper that originated in the Tang Dynasty of ancient China. The Japanese origin of...
Osaka Kongo Sudare (bamboo blinds)
The making of bamboo blinds precedes the Heian period (794-1185). Blinds of this kind were first used as a screen inside the Imperial Palace...
Izumo Ishidoro (stone lanterns)
Izumo Ishidoro stone lanterns have been made for many hundreds of years from a local sandstone that was formed from volcanic ash. During the...
Yeomjang (bamboo blind-making)
Yeomjang refers to the skill of making bal, a traditional blind, and an essential and popular article used in traditional Korean houses. Bal prevented...