Articles of the Series
A Day in Lives of Artisans
The workshop, as it truly is. Documented in studios across Japan — an ever-growing video archive of craftspeople at work. Up close with the details of the craft, and the people behind it.
A Cup Nurtured by Sun and Wind: "Kahee Honpo" in Yoshino, Nara
At Kahee Honpo, steamed tea leaves are spread out under the sun, drying slowly as artisans carefully gauge the sky. Sun-dried bancha is crafted by sunlight, wind, and skilled hands. This reflects the serene landscape of Yoshino's traditional tea-making, passed down through generations in harmony with nature.
Passing Down the Art of Weaving Through Fingertips: Okinawa's Miyahira "Shuri-Ori" Workshop
At Miyahira Shuri-Ori Workshop, artisans carefully carry out each stage of the weaving process by hand, from preparing the threads and threading the warp through the loom to weaving intricate patterns on traditional handlooms. Passed down since the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the techniques of Shuri-Ori weaving come together through countless meticulous steps to create a single piece of fabric. This film captures the skilled craftsmanship behind this centuries-old textile tradition.
From a Kaji Tree to a Sheet of Paper: The Story of Saga's 'Nao Handmade Washi'
In the Nao district of Saga City, Saga Prefecture, the art of traditional Japanese papermaking has been passed down for over 300 years. Today, the Taniguchi family is the only remaining workshop preserving the tradition of Nao Tesuki Washi. From boiling and beating the fibers of their homegrown paper mulberry trees to forming sheets by hand and carefully applying water, this film follows the intricate process and skilled craftsmanship behind each sheet of handmade washi paper.
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Hand-Layering Wax: "Omori Warosoku," a Traditional Japanese Candlemaker in Ehime
In Uchiko, Ehime Prefecture, a town that flourished as a center of Japanese wax production during the Edo period, stands Omori Japanese Candle Shop, the last remaining traditional Japanese candle maker in Shikoku. Using the namagake technique, artisans scoop wax extracted from the berries of the Japanese wax tree with their bare hands and carefully apply it in layers around a candle wick. This film captures the meticulous handwork involved in crafting a single traditional Japanese candle.
Earth, Fire, and Human Hands: The Ikutouen Pottery Studio in Okinawa's Yachimun District
In Tsuboya, Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Ikutoen is a pottery kiln that has preserved the distinctive character of Tsuboya for over 300 years, in a district renowned for its yachimun pottery tradition dating back to 1682. With around 20 artisans specializing in different stages of production, the workshop brings together a range of traditional techniques, from carving intricate arabesque patterns and applying glazes to crafting ceramic guardian lions known as shisa. This film follows the skilled hands behind each stage of the process.
A Living Black, 1300 Years in the Making: Amami Oshima's Mud Dyeing at Higo Senshoku
In Tatsugo, on Amami Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, Higo Senshoku is a family-run workshop that has preserved the art of mud dyeing, an essential process in the production of Oshima Tsumugi silk textiles, a tradition dating back 1,300 years. The chemical reaction between tannins from the Japanese hawthorn tree (techi wood) and iron-rich mud creates a deep, vibrant black. A glimpse into a day at the workshop reveals the meticulous handwork behind this centuries-old dyeing tradition.
The 1/100-Millimeter World: Kagu No Azuma's Paulownia Furniture in Wakayama
Founded in 1891 in Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture, Kagu no Azuma has been crafting traditional paulownia chests for over 130 years. Lightweight, resistant to moisture, and slow to burn, paulownia wood has long been valued for its unique properties. From marking and joinery to hand-planing and the finishing of charred paulownia surfaces, every step reflects the skill and precision of artisans working with tolerances as fine as 0.01 millimeters.