Handmade in Japan


Book Description

Discover the exceptional artistry and rich traditions being kept alive by Japanese artisans in the twenty-first century. In an era where global interest in handmade, small-batch products is heightening as a response to mass production, Handmade in Japan takes a look inside the workshops of the country's artisans, revealing their endless pursuit of excellence, and what it means to dedicate one's life to the stewardship of irreplaceable cultural heritage. International readers with an appreciation for handmade processes using sustainable materials will find inspiration in the exploration of craft ecosystems, such as the harvesting of natural lacquer in Iwate. Likewise, those who admire skill and beauty will enjoy discovering the lengths these makers go to in ensuring every product is perfect.




Handmade Culture


Book Description

Handmade Culture is the first comprehensive and cohesive study in any language to examine Raku, one of Japan’s most famous arts and a pottery technique practiced around the world. More than a history of ceramics, this innovative work considers four centuries of cultural invention and reinvention during times of both political stasis and socioeconomic upheaval. It combines scholarly erudition with an accessible story through its lively and lucid prose and its generous illustrations. The author’s own experiences as the son of a professional potter and a historian inform his unique interdisciplinary approach, manifested particularly in his sensitivity to both technical ceramic issues and theoretical historical concerns. Handmade Culture makes ample use of archaeological evidence, heirloom ceramics, tea diaries, letters, woodblock prints, and gazetteers and other publications to narrate the compelling history of Raku, a fresh approach that sheds light not only on an important traditional art from Japan, but on the study of cultural history itself.




Omiyage


Book Description

Bestselling author Kumiko Sudo creates 45 exquisite handmade gifts in fabric, each with a flair that is uniquely Japanese. Easy-to-follow patterns, beautiful photographs, and colorful step-by-step drawings help the projects come together quickly--many in less than an hour. Whether they are created in kimono silks or in contemporary cottons, these tiny boxes, purses, decorative toys, incense pouches, and good luck charms all make delightful gifts.




Sew Sweet Handmade Clothes for Girls


Book Description

Make your own cute and fashionable clothes for girls with this easy-to-use sewing book. Author, Yuki Araki is one of the most recognized names in the growing sewing-for-children movement. The mother of two daughters, Araki has become a DIY sewing favorite because she knows what young girls want. They like to wear stylish clothes that also let them play with ease. Moms adore the relaxed aesthetic of Araki's simple mix-and-match play clothes and accessories, and young girls are happy wearing them because they're both cute and comfortable. Best suited for girls from two to five years old, the sewing patterns in this Japanese sewing book are simple, casual, and look good on any girl. Araki provides westernized patterns in four sizes, plus diagrams and instructions for twenty-two pieces. Simple lines give kids room to move, and the classic styles look good on any frame. Sewing designs include: Shoulder-tie camisole top and dress Classic smock shirt and dress Four variations of a basic elastic-waist skirt Shorts and easy-breezy kid-style leggings to pair with any top Button-front and pullover tops Adorable bucket hat Moms will love dressing their girls in these economical and easy-to-make clothes. Nothing could be simpler—or sweeter!




Japan


Book Description

Japanese style is famed for its simplicity and elegance, and Japanese crafts for their exquisite workmanship. This book includes inspiration and instructions for 20 projects based on the Japanese aesthetic-paper lanterns, a bamboo coffee table, an indoor water garden. Photographs illustrate the process and the finished project, making the book both functional and gorgeous.




The Beauty of Everyday Things


Book Description

The daily lives of ordinary people are replete with objects, common things used in commonplace settings. These objects are our constant companions in life. As such, writes Soetsu Yanagi, they should be made with care and built to last, treated with respect and even affection. They should be natural and simple, sturdy and safe - the aesthetic result of wholeheartedly fulfilling utilitarian needs. They should, in short, be things of beauty. In an age of feeble and ugly machine-made things, these essays call for us to deepen and transform our relationship with the objects that surround us. Inspired by the work of the simple, humble craftsmen Yanagi encountered during his lifelong travels through Japan and Korea, they are an earnest defence of modest, honest, handcrafted things - from traditional teacups to jars to cloth and paper. Objects like these exemplify the enduring appeal of simplicity and function: the beauty of everyday things.




Vanishing Japan


Book Description

This classic text of Japanese culture contains a wealth of information about traditional Japan and Japanese customs. Pawnshops and handmade paper, shoe shiners and Shinto jugglers, money rakes and mosquito netting--all these were once a familiar part of daily life in Japan. Many elements of that daily life, like the Obon dances and oreiboko apprenticeships, have no counterpart in any other culture: they are purely unique to Japan. But with the tremendous changes of the modern age, most traces of traditional life in Japan are fast disappearing, soon to be gone forever. Still, there are a few holdouts, especially in Japan's shitamachi, or working-class neighborhoods, where many of the survivors of Japanese crafts, art forms, and festivals are making their last stand. Vanishing Japan is a must-read for tourists, historians, architects, or artists who are interested in Japanese culture.




Wagashi


Book Description

Patterns for 20 handcrafted projects, each an exquisite accessory and a tiny work of art, are provided in this step-by-step guide. The centerpiece of the handbook is a range of stunning fabric jewelry--necklaces, bracelets, and earrings--crafted from silks or cottons complemented by a colorful decorative cord that is woven or knotted into unique designs, called "kumihimo," Instructions are provided for several unusual craft techniques including Japanese knotwork, Delica beading, and fabric origami, each with color drawings and step-by-step directions. Projects are accompanied by color photographs evocative of contemporary Japanese style, and every chapter opens with a wonderful original watercolor by the author, as well as text providing reflections on Japanese life and art.




Tea in Japan


Book Description

"Represents a major advance over previous publications.... Students will find this volume especially useful as an introduction to the primary sources, terminology, and dominant themes in the history of chanoyu." --Journal of Japanese Studies "Tea in Japan illuminates in depth and detail chanoyu's cultural connections and evolution from the early Kamakura period... It is the quality of seeing the familiar and not so familiar elements of tea emerge as a dynamic saga of human invention and cultural intervention that makes this book exhilarating and the details that the authors provide that make these essays fascinating." --Journal of the Association of Teachers of Japanese




Little Book of Japan


Book Description

This compact travel guide and pictorial is the #1 selling travel book in Japan! Packed with cultural and historical information along with charming photographs, you can take a trip to Japan to always remember. Japan is a country shrouded in mystery, even now in the 21st century. The myriad facets that, when put together, compose the whole of this nation are impossible to capture fully. But in The Little Book of Japan, the dynamic photographer-writer team of Gorazd Vilhar and Charlotte Anderson do an admirable job of creating a celebration in words and images that encapsulates what makes this country so extraordinary. Small and easily portable, this Japan travel guide is organized in a series of 44 highlights with photographs contained within four chapters: Cultural Icons, Traditions, Places, and Spiritual Life. Under these four overarching ideals, Vilhar and Anderson explore a wide range of topics from Japanese cultural icons and traditions to Japan's spiritual life to its unique cities and villages. Broad enough to satisfy anyone with interest in the culture, art, and beliefs of this unique island nation, yet comprehensive enough for the true Japanophile, The Little Book of Japan is a stunning collection of photographs and thoughtful mini essays. With everything from Cherry Blossoms to Sushi, Calligraphy to Kimonos, Old Tokyo to Hiroshima, to intimate details of Buddhism and Pilgrimages, this book is a beautiful and enjoyable way to learn more about the fascinating island nation of Japan.