Traditional crafts of Japan by prefecture

Nibutani itaa

Carved wooden trays from the Ainu community of Nibutani in Biratori, decorated with scale and swirl motifs; designated a traditional craft of Japan in 2013.

Nibutani attus

Cloth woven from the inner bark fibres of the Manchurian elm (ohyō), used for Ainu robes; designated a traditional craft in 2013 together with the itaa trays.

Otaru glass

Glassware tradition that began with oil lamps and fishing floats for the herring fleets and grew into a studio craft in the port's old warehouses.

Asahikawa furniture

Solid-wood furniture from Hokkaido hardwoods such as oak and ash, one of Japan's major furniture-making centres.

Carved bears

Wooden carvings of brown bears, developed in the 1920s in Yakumo and by Ainu carvers in Asahikawa, and a classic Hokkaido souvenir.

Tsugaru lacquerware

Hirosaki lacquer built up in dozens of layers and polished to reveal mottled patterns; a nationally designated traditional craft.

Kogin embroidery

Geometric white-on-indigo counted-thread embroidery of the Tsugaru farming villages, originally used to strengthen and insulate hemp garments.

Hishizashi embroidery

The Nanbu counterpart of kogin, worked in diamond-shaped motifs in the Hachinohe area.

Yawata-uma horses

Painted wooden toy horses from Hachinohe, reflecting the Nanbu area's long tradition of horse breeding.

Tsugaru glass

Hand-blown coloured glass made in Aomori city, using sand from the Tsugaru coast.

Nanbu ironware

Cast-iron kettles and pots made in Morioka and Mizusawa (Oshu), a craft fostered by the Nanbu and Date clans since the seventeenth century.

Hidehira lacquerware

Lacquered bowls with gold-leaf lozenges and cloud patterns, named after the third Oshu Fujiwara lord, Hidehira.

Joboji lacquerware

Plain, robust lacquerware from Ninohe; the Joboji area is the largest source of domestic Japanese lacquer sap, used in the repair of national treasures.

Iwayado chests

Wooden chests of drawers from Oshu with lacquer finish and heavy decorative iron fittings.

Nanbu kokeshi

Turned wooden dolls, among several kokeshi traditions found in Iwate's hot-spring areas.

Miyagi traditional kokeshi

Turned and painted wooden dolls from spa villages; Miyagi has several distinct lineages, including Naruko, Togatta, Yajiro and Sakunami.

Naruko lacquerware

Lacquered bowls and trays from Naruko, notably the swirling ryumon-nuri technique.

Ogatsu inkstones

Inkstones cut from the black slate of Ogatsu in Ishinomaki, a craft with centuries of history; the same slate roofs Tokyo Station's Marunouchi building.

Sendai chests

Zelkova chests finished in lacquer and fitted with heavy decorative ironwork.

Sendai-hira

Stiff, finely striped silk for formal hakama, woven since the Date era.

Tsutsumi ware

Folk pottery of Sendai with a characteristic running black and white glaze.

Kabazaiku (cherry-bark work)

Tea caddies and boxes covered with polished mountain-cherry bark, introduced to Kakunodate by samurai craftsmen in the eighteenth century.

Kawatsura lacquerware

Durable everyday lacquerware from Yuzawa, made since the Kamakura period.

Odate bentwood boxes

Lunch boxes and containers of steamed, bent Akita cedar stitched with cherry bark.

Akita cedar tubs and barrels

Hooped cedar tubs and barrels used for sake, rice and bathing.

Tendo shogi pieces

Hand-inscribed pieces for shogi (Japanese chess) from Tendo, which makes the great majority of Japan's shogi pieces; the craft began as a side trade for low-ranking samurai.

Yamagata cast iron

Thin-walled cast-iron kettles and vessels made in the capital since the Heian period, a designated traditional craft.

Oitama tsumugi

Silk textiles of the Okitama district, including Yonezawa-ori; the industry was fostered by Uesugi Yozan's domain reforms.

Uetsu shinafu

Rough cloth woven from the bast fibre of the Japanese linden in the mountain villages of southern Shonai.

Sasano ittobori

Stylised birds and animals carved with a single knife from Yonezawa, above all the lucky otaka-poppo hawk.

Aizu lacquerware

Lacquerware fostered by Gamo Ujisato, who brought craftsmen from Omi; known for gold and coloured decoration and designated a traditional craft.

Obori-Soma ware

Pottery from Namie with a blue crackle glaze, a painted running horse and double-walled cups; potters relocated after 2011 and continue the craft elsewhere in the prefecture.

Aizu-Hongo ware

Pottery and porcelain from Aizu-Misato, one of the oldest kiln centres in Tohoku.

Oku-Aizu basketry

Baskets woven from vines and bark such as akebia and walnut by households in the snowbound valleys of Oku-Aizu.

Akabeko

Papier-mâché red ox with a nodding head, linked to the legend of an ox that helped build Enzo-ji temple in Yanaizu; a talisman against illness.

Miharu horse

Carved and painted wooden horse from Miharu, counted among Japan's classic wooden folk toys.

Yuki-tsumugi silk

Hand-spun, hand-woven pongee from floss silk, made around Yuki; inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010.

Kasama ware

Stoneware from Kasama, dating from the eighteenth century and today made by a large community of independent potters.

Makabe stone lanterns

Granite lanterns carved from the stone of Mount Kaba near Sakuragawa, a designated traditional craft.

Mashiko ware

Sturdy stoneware from Mashiko, made famous by Hamada Shoji and the mingei (folk-craft) movement; the town has hundreds of kilns.

Yuki-tsumugi

Hand-woven silk pongee produced around Oyama and across the border in Yuki, Ibaraki; UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Nikko carving

Carved and lacquered woodwork descended from the craftsmen who decorated the Toshogu.

Karasuyama washi

Handmade paper from Nasukarasuyama, traditionally used for the scenery of the Yamaage festival.

Kiryu weaving

Silk weaving with a history of over a thousand years; Kiryu is known as the 'Nishijin of the east'.

Isesaki kasuri

Silk ikat with patterns dyed into the threads before weaving.

Takasaki daruma

Red papier-mâché daruma with crane-and-tortoise eyebrows and beard; Takasaki produces most of Japan's daruma.

Creative kokeshi

Modern, freely designed wooden dolls, of which Gunma is the largest producer.

Iwatsuki dolls

Hina dolls and other traditional figures from Iwatsuki, Japan's leading doll-making town.

Hosokawa-shi paper

Strong kozo paper made in Ogawa and Higashichichibu; part of UNESCO's Washi inscription (2014).

Kasukabe paulownia chests

Light, moisture-resistant chests of drawers made from paulownia wood.

Chichibu meisen

Bold-patterned, affordable silk popular for everyday kimono in the early twentieth century.

Gyoda tabi

Split-toe socks from Gyoda, which once produced most of Japan's tabi.

Boshu uchiwa fans

Round fans with a frame split from a single piece of bamboo, from Tateyama and Minamiboso; one of Japan's three famous fan types.

Choshi chijimi

Crinkled cotton cloth from Choshi, cool to wear in summer.

Soy sauce brewing

Brewing traditions of Noda and Choshi, which supplied Edo and remain centres of Japan's soy sauce industry.

Edo kiriko

Cut glass with fine geometric patterns, made in Tokyo since the 1830s.

Edo komon

Stencil-dyed kimono fabric with minute patterns that appear as a solid colour from afar.

Edo woodblock prints

The craft of carving and printing ukiyo-e, continued by workshops in the eastern wards.

Murayama Oshima tsumugi

Ikat-woven silk from the Musashimurayama area of Tama.

Kamakura-bori

Carved wood coated in layers of red and black lacquer, originating in Buddhist altar fittings of the Kamakura period.

Hakone yosegi marquetry

Geometric mosaics of naturally coloured woods, used for boxes and the famous puzzle boxes.

Odawara lacquerware

Lacquered woodware from Odawara that lets the grain of the wood show through.

Odawara lanterns

Collapsible cylindrical paper lanterns carried by travellers on the Tokaido.

Ojiya chijimi

Crinkled ramie cloth bleached on snow; listed with Echigo jōfu as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Shiozawa tsumugi

Fine silk pongee woven in Minami-Uonuma.

Tsubame hammered copperware

Kettles and vessels raised from a single copper sheet by hammering.

Echigo Sanjō forged blades

Hand-forged knives, chisels and tools from the metalworking town of Sanjō.

Murakami carved lacquer

Carved wood coated in layers of red lacquer, from the castle town of Murakami.

Kamo paulownia chests

Chests of drawers made of light, moisture-resistant paulownia wood.

Takaoka copperware

Cast bronze bells, statues and vessels; Takaoka makes the great majority of Japan's bronze temple bells.

Takaoka lacquerware

Lacquer decorated with shell inlay and carved relief.

Inami woodcarving

Deep-relief carving for temple transoms and panels, centred on Zuisen-ji in Nanto.

Etchū washi

Hand-made paper from Gokayama, Yatsuo and Asahi.

Shōkawa turned woodware

Bowls and trays turned on the lathe from local timber.

Wajima lacquer

Durable lacquerware built up in many layers with a base of lacquer mixed with diatomaceous earth.

Kutani porcelain

Porcelain with bold overglaze enamels in green, yellow, purple, blue and red.

Kanazawa gold leaf

Gold beaten to a fraction of a micron; Kanazawa produces almost all of Japan's gold leaf.

Kaga yūzen

Hand-painted silk dyeing in five characteristic colours with realistic floral motifs.

Yamanaka lacquer

Lathe-turned lacquered woodware from the hot-spring town of Yamanaka.

Ushikubi tsumugi

Strong silk pongee woven from double cocoons in the Hakusan mountains.

Echizen washi

Hand-made paper with a history of some 1,500 years, made in the Goka district of Echizen City.

Echizen forged knives

Hand-forged blades from the Takefu area, a tradition of about 700 years.

Echizen lacquer

Lacquerware from Kawada in Sabae, a major producer of lacquered tableware.

Echizen ware

Unglazed stoneware, counted among Japan's six ancient kilns.

Wakasa lacquer

Lacquer with inlaid shell and eggshell patterns, above all on chopsticks made in Obama.

Echizen chests

Wooden chests with heavy iron fittings.

Kōshū inden

Deerskin decorated with lacquer patterns, used for purses and pouches.

Kōshū crystal and gem carving

Carving of rock crystal, once mined in the Kinpu-san area, which gave rise to Kōfu's jewellery industry.

Kōshū hand-carved seals

Name seals carved by hand, centred on Ichikawamisato.

Nishijima washi

Hand-made paper from Minobu, valued for calligraphy.

Kaiki silk

Fine, lustrous silk from the Gunnai district around Fujiyoshida, used for linings.

Kiso lacquerware

Lacquerware from Narai and Hirasawa on the Nakasendō, using local cypress.

Iida mizuhiki

Decorative paper cords for gifts and ceremonies; Iida makes most of Japan's supply.

Matsumoto furniture

Solid-wood chests and furniture revived by the folk-craft movement.

Shinshū tsumugi

Hand-woven silk pongee from Ueda, Matsumoto and Ina.

Uchiyama washi

Paper from northern Nagano bleached on snow, used for shōji screens.

Nagiso turned woodware

Bowls and trays turned from local hardwoods in the Kiso valley.

Mino ware

Ceramics from Tajimi, Toki and Mizunami, including the Shino and Oribe styles of the Momoyama period.

Mino washi

Fine, strong paper from Mino City; hon-minoshi is UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Seki cutlery

Knives and blades from Seki, a sword-making centre since the Kamakura period.

Gifu lanterns

Delicate painted paper lanterns used for the Bon festival.

Hida shunkei lacquer

Transparent lacquer that shows the grain of the wood beneath.

Ichii ittōbori

Carvings in Japanese yew, cut with a single knife and left unpainted.

Suruga bamboo ware

Cages, vases and lamps made from fine round bamboo rods.

Suruga hina dolls

Dolls for the Girls' Day festival, together with their miniature lacquered furnishings.

Kakegawa kuzu-fu

Cloth woven from kudzu vine fibre, once used for samurai garments.

Enshū cotton

Striped cotton cloth from the textile district around Hamamatsu.

Suruga lacquered geta

Lacquered wooden sandals from Shizuoka City.

Seto ware

Glazed ceramics and porcelain from Seto, one of Japan's six ancient kilns.

Tokoname ware

Unglazed red stoneware, famous for teapots, from the Chita Peninsula.

Arimatsu-Narumi shibori

Tie-dyed cotton from the Tōkaidō village of Arimatsu in Nagoya.

Owari cloisonné

Enamelled metalwork from Ama, developed in the nineteenth century.

Okazaki stone carving

Granite lanterns and sculpture from Okazaki.

Mikawa Buddhist altars

Gilded, lacquered household altars from Okazaki and Toyohashi.

Iga-yaki

Heat-resistant stoneware used for donabe clay pots and admired in the tea ceremony for its rough, ash-glazed surfaces.

Iga kumihimo

Silk braided cords, traditionally for kimono obijime and armour lacing.

Yokkaichi Banko ware

Purple-brown unglazed teapots and earthenware cooking pots.

Ise katagami

Hand-cut paper stencils from Suzuka used for dyeing kimono fabric.

Matsusaka momen

Indigo-striped cotton cloth that was fashionable in Edo-period Edo.

Shigaraki ware

One of Japan's Six Ancient Kilns, known for its orange-flashed stoneware and the ubiquitous tanuki figures.

Ōmi jōfu

Fine hemp and ramie cloth from the Kotō area east of the lake.

Hikone butsudan

Lacquered and gilded Buddhist household altars, a craft that grew from the castle town's armourers and lacquerers.

Ōtsu-e

Humorous folk paintings sold to travellers on the Tōkaidō, featuring demons and animals.

Kōka and Hino medicines

Traditional pharmaceutical trade of the Kōka area, still reflected in the local pharmaceutical industry.

Nishijin-ori

Figured silk brocade from the Nishijin district, used for obi and ceremonial textiles.

Kyō-yūzen

Paste-resist dyeing of kimono silk with pictorial designs, named after Miyazaki Yūzensai.

Kyō-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki

Kyoto porcelain and pottery, from Ninsei's enamels to the potters of Gojōzaka.

Tango chirimen

Silk crepe from the Tango Peninsula, which produces most of Japan's kimono crepe.

Kyō-shikki

Refined lacquerware with maki-e gold decoration, developed for the court and tea ceremony.

Kurotani washi

Strong hand-made paper from Ayabe in the Tanba highlands.

Sakai uchihamono

Forged kitchen knives from Sakai, used by most professional Japanese chefs.

Osaka karaki sashimono

Fine joinery in imported hardwoods such as rosewood and ebony.

Naniwa suzuki

Tin ware – sake flasks and tea caddies – made in Osaka since the Edo period.

Sakai senkō

Incense sticks, produced in Sakai since the 16th century.

Senshū kiri-tansu

Paulownia-wood chests from the Senshū area of southern Osaka.

Tanba Tachikui-yaki

Stoneware from Sasayama, one of the Six Ancient Kilns, with natural ash glazes.

Banshū soroban

Abacuses from Ono, which produces most of Japan's traditional abacuses.

Toyooka kiryū-zaiku

Willow wickerwork that grew into Toyooka's bag industry.

Banshū hamono

Forged carpentry tools and blades from Miki.

Izushi-yaki

Pure white porcelain from the castle town of Izushi.

Awaji incense

Awaji produces most of Japan's incense sticks, centred on Ichinomiya-Gunge.

Nara-zumi

Ink sticks of soot and animal glue; Nara produces almost all of Japan's traditional sumi.

Nara-fude

Calligraphy brushes made from blended animal hair.

Takayama chasen

Bamboo tea whisks from Ikoma's Takayama district, which makes most of Japan's chasen.

Nara ittōbori

Boldly carved and painted wooden dolls, originally for the Kasuga festival.

Akahada-yaki

Tea ceremony pottery with a reddish body and painted scenes from Nara.

Kishū shikki

Kuroe lacquerware from Kainan, one of Japan's major lacquer centres.

Kishū binchōtan

Very hard white charcoal made from ubamegashi oak, prized for grilling.

Kishū bamboo fishing rods

Hand-made bamboo rods from Hashimoto for carp fishing.

Kishū tansu

Paulownia-wood chests of drawers from Wakayama city.

Kōya paper

Handmade paper once used for Buddhist sutras on Kōya-san.

Inshū washi

Handmade paper from Aoya and Saji, a designated traditional craft valued especially for calligraphy paper.

Yumigahama-gasuri

Indigo-dyed ikat cotton from the Yumigahama peninsula, with pictorial patterns; a designated traditional craft.

Inshū Nakai-gama pottery

A mingei kiln near Tottori city known for its green, black and white split-glaze designs developed under Yoshida Shōya.

Sekishū washi

Strong paper from Iwami; its Sekishū-banshi is part of Washi, craftsmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paper, on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Iwami-yaki

Salt- and water-resistant stoneware, famous for large water jars; a designated traditional craft.

Izumo stone lanterns

Garden lanterns carved from the soft Kimachi sandstone; a designated traditional craft.

Unshū soroban

Abacuses made in Okuizumo, a designated traditional craft.

Yakumo-nuri

Matsue lacquerware with coloured designs that grow more vivid with use.

Bizen-yaki

Unglazed stoneware from Imbe in Bizen, coloured only by ash and flame; a designated traditional craft and one of the Six Old Kilns.

Osafune swords

Blades of the Osafune school, many of them National Treasures, presented at the Bizen Osafune Sword Museum.

Katsuyama bamboo craft

Baskets of green madake bamboo from Maniwa; a designated traditional craft.

Kojima jeans

Denim made in Kurashiki's Kojima district, where the first domestically sewn jeans were produced in the 1960s.

Kumano brushes

Calligraphy, painting and cosmetic brushes from the town of Kumano; a designated traditional craft.

Miyajima woodcraft

Turned and carved woodwork including the rice scoop (shamoji) said to have been invented on Miyajima; a designated traditional craft.

Fukuyama koto

The koto (zither) produced in Fukuyama, the country's main centre of koto making; a designated traditional craft.

Hiroshima Buddhist altars

Gold-leafed lacquered household altars reflecting the Jōdo Shinshū tradition; a designated traditional craft.

Hagi-yaki

Soft-bodied stoneware with milky glazes that change colour with use, founded by Korean potters in the early seventeenth century; a designated traditional craft.

Ōuchi-nuri

Red lacquerware with gold-leaf Ōuchi crests, including the round Ōuchi dolls; a designated traditional craft.

Akama inkstones

Inkstones carved from reddish-brown stone near Ube and Shimonoseki; a designated traditional craft.

Awa indigo (Awa-ai)

Natural indigo dye made from fermented indigo leaves (sukumo), used for cloth known as Japan Blue.

Awa shōai shijira-ori

Crinkled indigo cotton cloth, cool in summer; a designated traditional craft.

Ōtani-yaki

Stoneware from Naruto, famous for huge jars thrown by two potters, one lying under the wheel; a designated traditional craft.

Awa washi

Handmade paper from Yoshinogawa, often dyed with indigo; a designated traditional craft.

Kagawa lacquerware

Lacquer with carved and inlaid techniques such as kinma and zonsei, founded by Tamakaji Zōkoku; a designated traditional craft.

Marugame uchiwa

Bamboo and paper fans, once sold as souvenirs to Konpira pilgrims; a designated traditional craft.

Sanuki kagari temari

Embroidered thread balls dyed with plant colours.

Aji granite

A fine-grained granite from Aji and Mure in Takamatsu, used for lanterns, sculpture and gravestones.

Tobe-yaki

Thick white porcelain with indigo designs from Tobe near Matsuyama; a designated traditional craft.

Ōzu washi

Handmade paper from Uchiko and Ōzu, valued for calligraphy; a designated traditional craft.

Imabari towels

Soft, absorbent cotton towels woven in Imabari since the 1890s, Japan's leading towel brand.

Uwajima pearls

Akoya pearls cultured in the bays of the Uwa Sea.

Tosa washi

Handmade paper from the Niyodo valley, including the extremely thin tengujō; a designated traditional craft.

Tosa uchihamono

Hand-forged knives, sickles and axes, made in Kami and elsewhere; a designated traditional craft.

Tosa coral

Precious red coral from the waters off Tosa, carved into jewellery since the Meiji era.

Hakata-ori textiles

A dense silk weave used above all for obi sashes, traditionally with the kenjō pattern of Buddhist ritual implements.

Hakata dolls

Unglazed, finely painted clay figures of people from daily life, theatre and legend.

Kurume kasuri

Indigo-dyed cotton ikat from the Chikugo area, a designated Important Intangible Cultural Property.

Koishiwara ware

Folk pottery from the mountain village of Tōhō, decorated with chattered (tobikanna) and brushed patterns.

Yame lanterns

Paper lanterns with a spiral bamboo frame, used above all for the Bon festival of the dead.

Agano ware

Thin-walled tea-ceremony ceramics from Fukuchi, founded by Korean potters in the early 17th century.

Arita ware

Japan's first porcelain, from blue-and-white sometsuke to the overglaze enamels of the Kakiemon and Kinrande styles.

Imari and Nabeshima ware

Fine porcelain made at the Nabeshima domain's official kilns at Ōkawachiyama in Imari for presentation to the shogun and daimyō.

Karatsu ware

Earthy stoneware prized for the tea ceremony, with iron-painted, Korean-style (Chōsen) and mottled glazes.

Saga nishiki

A brocade woven with gold and silver foiled paper as warp, originally a pastime of the Kashima domain's ladies.

Mikawachi ware

Fine white porcelain from Sasebo, once made for the Hirado domain, known for blue underglaze painting of Chinese boys.

Hasami ware

Everyday porcelain from the town of Hasami, historically mass-produced for common households.

Nagasaki tortoiseshell

Craft of working hawksbill shell introduced via the China trade.

Nagasaki kites

Fighting kites with glass-coated lines and Dutch-flag inspired designs.

Higo inlay

Gold and silver inlay on iron, first applied to sword fittings for the Hosokawa samurai.

Yamaga lanterns

Intricate lanterns and miniature buildings made only of washi paper and glue.

Shōdai ware

Stoneware with flowing white and blue-green glazes, made in the north of the prefecture since the early Edo period.

Amakusa ceramics

Porcelain and pottery based on Amakusa pottery stone, a raw material long supplied to Arita and other kilns.

Beppu bamboo craft

Woven madake-bamboo baskets and vessels, designated a national traditional craft in 1979; the prefecture runs a bamboo-craft training school in Beppu.

Onta ware

Slipware from a hamlet near Hita, made by a few families using water-powered clay pounders; the technique is an Important Intangible Cultural Property.

Shichitō-i matting

Tough triangular rush grown only in Kunisaki, woven into hard-wearing tatami for judo halls and modern design objects.

Miyakonojō bows

Bamboo longbows for kyūdō (Japanese archery), a national traditional craft; most of Japan's bamboo bows are made in Miyakonojō.

Hyūga clamshell go stones

White go stones cut from thick clamshells from the Hyūga coast, prized by players.

Miyazaki go boards

Go and shōgi boards made from the slow-grown wood of the kaya (Japanese nutmeg-yew) of the Kyushu Mountains.

Satsuma ware

Pottery founded by Korean potters brought to Satsuma after the 1590s invasions of Korea; white ware (shiro-satsuma) for the lords and black ware (kuro-satsuma) for everyday use.

Ōshima tsumugi

Silk pongee from Amami-Ōshima, dyed with a tannin from the sharinbai tree and iron-rich mud to a deep, lustrous brown-black.

Satsuma cut glass

Coloured cut glass first made under Shimazu Nariakira and revived in the late twentieth century, known for its soft gradations of colour.

Kawanabe Buddhist altars

Lacquered and gilded household altars from Minamikyūshū, a craft that grew in an area where the Jōdo Shinshū faith survived a long ban under Satsuma.

Bingata

Stencil-dyed textiles in bright colours, once reserved for the royal family and aristocracy.

Tsuboya ware

Okinawan pottery (yachimun) from the Tsuboya district of Naha, where the kingdom gathered its kilns in 1682.

Bashōfu

Light, crisp cloth woven from banana-plant fibre, above all in Kijoka in Ōgimi.

Ryukyu lacquerware

Lacquer with relief and inlay decoration, produced for the court and for tribute to China.

Ryukyu glass

Thick, bubbled coloured glass that developed after the war from recycled bottles.