In a previous article, we introduced you to the rich Japanese tradition of tatami. Join us for a sneak peek inside a real tatami shop, and enjoy a step by step making of a mini-tatami!

It’s nothing like a making blankets or scarfs. Amigurumi is usually a 3-dimensional stuffed toy. What makes amigurumi so special? Almost every young girl will be tempted to make one because they are so cute and fun to make. It can be a present, for room decoration, or maybe as a phone strap.

Hakata Ori is a special type of weaving with silk textile used to make kimonos and obis (sashes). High quality Chinese silk matched with the weaving style of Hakata Ori was unmatched in the whole of Japan. Hakata Ori became the choice textile for wealthy merchants, samurai and the ruling class in Japan. Let’s look how Hakata Ori began and became so famous.

Knives used to carve them are specialized tools called “satou” or “hidari-ba” which are more like tiny scrapers than knives. They look like dental picks for mythical creatures to be used by monstrous dentists. I acquired my first set of satou knives from master carver Kazuaki Nakamura but I needed a knife suited to my individual needs: One that was curved in the opposite direction to the knife included in the set.

Every year between April 29th and May 5th, a period with a cluster of national holidays known in Japan as Golden Week, the village of Arita holds a festival about all things porcelain

Some of the oldest merchants still have shops that trace back their history to hundred of years ago, and they are true artisans who take pride in producing one thing. Products range from traditional Japanese sweets to pickles.

Be amazed at how the workers are very dedicated in creating nothing but perfect quality products worthy of the company name.

Are you planning to celebrate a special day here in Tokyo? Anniversary, honeymoon, or perhaps your birthday? If these are the cases for you, how about creating rings of your own in Nakameguro, Tokyo?

A Story, the steampunk themed store is a franchise located in various locales around Tokyo. Now you might be asking yourself what steam punk is, and allow me to explain.

Japanese embroidery is decorative embroidery with very detailed designs or patterns. People often addressed Sashiko as Japanese embroidery but for natives they are definitely different. So why do I call it multifunctional?

Crafted out of kimono fabric, Oharibako has a wide variety of hair ornaments and accessories. If you want to immerse yourself in a traditional cultural experience, Oharibako would be the perfect place to visit during your stay in Kyoto.