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Japanese Craft GlossaryJapanese Craft GlossarySeeking the ArtisansSeeking the ArtisansA Century of Craft, A Master's VoiceA Century of Craft, A Master's VoiceTheir Beloved ThingsTheir Beloved ThingsThe Future Map of CraftsThe Future Map of CraftsCrossing PerspectivesCrossing PerspectivesLiving Beside TraditionLiving Beside TraditionThe Outline of CraftsThe Outline of Crafts
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Articles of the Series

Living Beside Tradition

Women who married into families that carry on traditional crafts. Balancing the artisan's family business, community ties, and raising children... This series portrays the reality and hope of craftsmanship from the “other side of the story” that is rarely spoken of.

A Long, Steady Flame: A Wife's Work to Keep the Business Burning
A Long, Steady Flame: A Wife's Work to Keep the Business Burning

A Long, Steady Flame: A Wife's Work to Keep the Business Burning

Shoko Omori supports Omori Warosokuya by managing customer service, inventory, the online store, and international shipping, allowing her artisan husband to focus on production. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple reconsidered the business and now emphasize delivering warosoku to people who understand and actively use them.

From Tokyo to Chichibu: Becoming an Artisan's Wife While Raising Four Children and My Role at Arakei Textile

From Tokyo to Chichibu: Becoming an Artisan's Wife While Raising Four Children and My Role at Arakei Textile

Sonoe Arai of Shinkei Orimono moved from Tokyo to Chichibu when her husband succeeded the family business, balancing the raising of four children with supporting the production of Chichibu Meisen. While handling public relations, sales, and craftsmanship, she has gradually found her own role in preserving and passing on the traditional textile craft.

Captivated by Kishu Chests: The Journey of Chiaki Azuma, the First Female Traditional Craftswoman

Captivated by Kishu Chests: The Journey of Chiaki Azuma, the First Female Traditional Craftswoman

After working in the apparel industry, Chiaki Azuma joined a Kishu Tansu workshop following her marriage and pursued a career as a craftsperson while raising children. As Japan’s first female Traditional Craftsman in this field, she promotes the value of paulownia wood and continues efforts to carry the tradition into the next generation.

From Self-Taught to Metalwork Artisan: Emi Sashou's Journey of Handicraft and Family at Jewelry Sashou

From Self-Taught to Metalwork Artisan: Emi Sashou's Journey of Handicraft and Family at Jewelry Sashou

“Craft work is truly fascinating,” says Emi Sashou, a metal engraving artisan at Jewelry Sashou, a workshop and shop in Koto City, Tokyo. She learned metal engraving after work while employed at a company and now supports the workshop with her husband, the third-generation successor.

Hisako Kubode of Shozu Shikko: Finding Her Own Unique Role

Hisako Kubode of Shozu Shikko: Finding Her Own Unique Role

Hisako Kubode, who oversees public relations, sales, and international business at Shoto Shikko, moved to Ishikawa Prefecture after working as a nursery school teacher in Tokyo, embarking on a career in traditional craftsmanship. Balancing her work with raising four children, she draws on her personal experience and English-language skills to share the appeal of Japanese lacquerware with audiences in Japan and around the world.

As a Wife, Mother, & Supporter of Traditional Craft—Sayaka Ikeda of the Ikeda Kasuri Textile for Kurume Kasuri

As a Wife, Mother, & Supporter of Traditional Craft—Sayaka Ikeda of the Ikeda Kasuri Textile for Kurume Kasuri

This article introduces Sayaka Ikeda, the wife of the fourth-generation head of Ikeda Kasuri Workshop and its producer and director. After marrying into the family, she entered the world of Kurume Kasuri, supporting the workshop while balancing her work with raising children. Valuing the consumer's perspective, she is also exploring ways to carry Kurume Kasuri into the future by adapting it to contemporary lifestyles.