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Create Ukiyo-e Art at a Woodblock Party

If you're a fan of traditional Japanese art, you can create your own version of famous ukiyo-e paintings at Mokuhankan's woodblock print party experiences.

Tokyo's Coolest Farmers Market: A Sustainable Community at UN University

Tokyo's largest farmers market is a hub for regional produce, tasty street food . . . and ideas for building a better future

The Organic Beauty of Kaga Lacquerware

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.

A Valentine Chocolate Tour of Tokyo

Introducing a delicious tasting route of 11 elite Tokyo chocolatiers and their creations.

All About the Local Creators' Market

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.

2 Modern Masters of Woodwork & Lacquer

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.

For Custom Fabric Colors, Go to Sumida-ku

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.

Endless Design Possibilities: Fukuyama Denim

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.

The Hand-Dyeing Specialists of Sumida-ku

If you're looking for custom, hand-dyed fabrics, these three specialists in Sumida-ku, Tokyo, are dyeing to set you up!

Japan's Amazing DIY Superstores: From Cheap Urban Farming to Building a Home

DIY has always been big in Japan. Now a number of stores cater to the creative in all of us, whether its gardening, interior renovation, crafts or even building your own house.

How Japanese Pearls Are Processed

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.

The Secrets of Pearl Harvesting in Japan

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?

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.

Vintage Diving at Toyo Department Store

If you're a true Tokyo hipster, you'd know that Shimokitazawa is the place to be for thrift shopping and fashion. And part of that reason is Toyo Department Store.

Meet One of Tokyo's Coolest Neighborhoods: Meguro

Coffee culture, antiques . . . even a Pig Cafe: Tokyo's Meguro is definitely worth a train stop.

Sumida Textiles: Hand-Dyed in Tokyo

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.

Make Japanese Pottery at Uzumako Art School

Don't just buy some Japanese pottery—why not make a piece yourself at the Uzumako Ceramic Art School?

Taking Denim Beyond the Jean Jacket

Hiroshima is known for its denim. But the denim being made here may not be the kind of denim you know!

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