Local Creators' Market
Sumida Textiles: Hand-Dyed in Tokyo
Handicrafts Local Creators' Market
The Sumida Ward has long prospered as the center of Japan's fabric industry. Even today, it is capable of reproducing nearly any color on demand.
For Custom Fabric Colors, Go to Sumida-ku
Handicrafts Local Creators' Market
Place an order with a swatch or color chip, and shops in this Tokyo district will delve into a formidable databank of colors amassed over the history of the craft to instantly dye your fabric to the exact color of the sample.
The Hand-Dyeing Specialists of Sumida-ku
Local Creators' Market Handicrafts
If you're looking for custom, hand-dyed fabrics, these three specialists in Sumida-ku, Tokyo, are dyeing to set you up!
The Organic Beauty of Kaga Lacquerware
Local Creators' Market Ishikawa
A mountainous land dotted with hot springs, Yamanaka in Ishikawa Prefecture is a major center of lacquerware production, thanks to woodturners who emigrated to this area 400 years ago.
2 Modern Masters of Woodwork & Lacquer
Local Creators' Market Ishikawa
Working by hand at scales that can at times only be seen with a magnifying glass, these two artisans are heirs to a 400-year-old legacy of woodworking in Ishikawa Prefecture.
The Ultimate Wedding Cake Knife
Swords have been forged in this Gifu Prefecture town since the late Kamakura Period. Now the same traditions are being applied to some of the best knives you can hope to find.
The Secrets of Pearl Harvesting in Japan
Local Creators' Market Handicrafts
Look closely through the translucent sheen of any Akoya pearl and you’ll see a rainbow of colors—a joint gift from the growers, the oysters, and the sea itself. But how are they produced?
How Japanese Pearls Are Processed
Local Creators' Market Handicrafts
How are pearls processed? Prized Akoya pearls are sorted in front of a north-facing window, where the low-angled natural light reveals any scratches and irregularities, and practiced artisans recognize flaws as slight as a tenth of a millimeter.
Taking Denim Beyond the Jean Jacket
Local Creators' Market Hiroshima
Hiroshima is known for its denim. But the denim being made here may not be the kind of denim you know!
All About the Local Creators' Market
Local Creators' Market Handicrafts
Launched by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Local Creators’ Market focuses on five Japanese locales noted for producing exquisite traditional handicrafts.
Endless Design Possibilities: Fukuyama Denim
Local Creators' Market Hiroshima
Specialists in every step of denim manufacture—spinning, dyeing, weaving, washing—abound in Fukuyama, a leading producer of denim in Japan. The locale is a driving force behind the worldwide appeal of Japanese denim.
