Washi (Japanese traditional paper)

One of the materials commonly used for andon (floor lamp) and byobu (folding screen) is called “washi,” direct translation: “Japanese paper.”

Let us highlight the craft’s material this time.

In Japan, people distinguish two different kinds of paper: “washi”(Japanese paper) and “yoshi”(Western paper). Washi has been all handmade by washi craftsmen since the past till now; yoshi was first introduced from Europe about 130 years ago and has been manufacturing by machine. At that time before yoshi was introduced, there were much more washi craftsmen than now. Raw materials are also different. Washi uses hemp or ramie, whereas yoshi uses pulp.

Characteristics are also different. Washi’s fiber is much longer than that of yoshi, so that washi can be thinner with the same strength and has longer life. Due to this advantage, washi is widely used in the world as a material for restoration of cultural heritage, for banknotes, for crafts, etc. Recently, natural materials are getting more and more attention, and demand for interior designing is increasing. Washi receives higher reputation backed by these trends.

The process of making washi is, at first, mixing the raw material with water, then, filtering the material with net. This is a set of the process, and the rest is to repeat the set again and again. Gradually, the paper becomes thick and strong enough to a level that authentic washi requires.

Andon and byobu are such products that are made of washi as a material. I am sure you can feel the breath of craftsmanship from these items. Why do not you use them as an interior item in your house or room?

Craftsman called "Tategu-shi"

Last time, we introduced “hyogu-shi.” This time, we introduce another craftsman “tategu-shi,” a different kind of house fixtures craftsman.

 “Tategu-shi” is a craftsman who makes mobile partition “tategu,” mainly wooden doors installed inside of a house or at the house gate. Tategu-shi also produces “fusuma,” sliding wooden and paper door installed in a house, as introduced in our previous blog.

Originally, tategu was brought from ancient China as one of temple

architecture. As time went by, it became to be used as the partition of dwelling space. Tategu also has other purposes: soundproof, heat insulation and decoration.

Kihara Fusuma, Focus Japan’s parent workshop, mainly manufactures fusuma and byobu, Japanese folding screen. Fusuma is used rather for practical use in Japanese traditional houses, whereas byobu is for interior decoration.

 Here are some pictures of actual fusuma-making.

This picture shows adhering the wooden frame and paper with bond.

 This shows tightly-fixing the frame edge with nails.

As you can see, fusuma is also handmade furniture like byobu by those craftsmen.


Written by Yabuuchi

Craftsmen Called “Hyogu-Shi” (house fixtures craftsmen)

Folding screen that Focus Japan introduces is produced by craftsmen called “hyogu-shi” (house fixtures craftsmen). This time, let us introduce about them.

 Hyogu-shi are craftsmen who produce ornament goods such as fusuma (papered door), byobu (folding screen), etc. using woods, cloth, and papers. Referring to folding screen, the hyogu-shi fabricates sophisticated interior goods from pure cloth and wood.

 Hyogu-shi is a profession that requires delicate sensibility.  One of the features of their work is that each product is custom-made.  Each folding screen is made to suit each unique house or room. So, they compare variety of papers and woods to find the best match to produce the only one byobu in the world. Because each material has its uniqueness, and the color, brightness, tone, style and size of space are all different among each other.

Hyogu-shi embodies a Japanese craftsmanship, makes each individual product by hand with their expert skills by time and care. Not only skills, but also keen sensibility is indispensable. Furthermore, it is needless to say that high concentration is another important capability. Hyogu-shi, as well as other Japanese craftsmen, are not mere workers, but are real artists.

Written by Yabuuchi

Attractiveness of Japanese traditional industrial arts and crafts

 Japanese traditional arts and crafts are usually very expensive. However, it also means they have the values equivalent to the price shows.

There are many craftsmen who use their own skills to produce those crafts – most of the time each product is hand-made, not using machines like mass-production. There are various skills of making arts and crafts, such as porcelain making, weaving on a loom, fabrics dyeing, chasing, and so many others. Each process of making arts and crafts is manufactured by master craftsmen who have gone through years of apprenticeship and practice, and the products are inspired by those craftsmen.

Of course, all processes are operated based on craftsmen’s years of experience and by their hands. So each product has subtle differences from each other, for example, finish tone in color and in shape. It means each product has its unique “face”. These are the very attractiveness of Japanese traditional arts and crafts.

 However, it is also true that they are so valuable that it takes long time to make a hand-made product by those expert craftsmen, and thus those products are expensive.

In the mean time, there is a market where many people prefer products that are made under mass- production, which are much economical. You can easily find and buy those products all over the world. However, you can say this is the other market for the products of day-to-day use like consumables.

Value in uniqueness is the key word for those arts and crafts, which are different from ordinary mass-manufactured products that totally look the same from each other.

We aim for introducing the true values of hand-made Japanese traditional arts and craft around all over the world.

Written by Yabuuchi

Introducing "Arita Porcelain"

"Arita Porcelain" is one of the most famous Japanese traditional handiwork.
Also it's called "Imari Porcelain". 
There is little difference between them,
but when we say about Arita or Imari, it's same meaning.






I will show how Arita Porcelain is being sold in Japan.


There are many kinds of Arita Porcelain, the very expensive one that have great quality to real cheap one.
Cheap one is usually made by machine, not handiwork.


The one I want to introduce to the world is "REAL Arita Porcelain".
Made by very proficient craftsman.
Those have really beautiful design written by Japanese brush pen, each product is completed by hand.

After they finish making Arita Porcelain, where those products are sold?

Usually, those are sold in exhibition of department store.

 

 

There are many kinds of tableware made of Arita Porcelain,

Plate, Saucer, Mug cup, Sake tumbler, Bowl are famous.

This is atmosphere of Arita Porcelain store.
It's very crowded with so many people!

You may have the chance to drop in at if you see this in Japanese department store.


written by Suzuki

Japanese Craftsmen

Japanese craftsmen produce many kinds of traditional artifacts and crafts. Not only foreign people, but also we, Japanese, are moved by their elaborate works.

“Kyo-yuzen (yuzen dyed-fabrics)” is one of the traditional artifacts that those craftsmen produce. This is a famous, traditional way of dying for fabrics in Kyoto. The making of “Kyo-yuzen” is divided into several parts such as sketching, dying, drawing pictures, etc. And, each process has its own professional craftsman.

These pictures are the scenes of drawing pictures. The cloth is so big that it is used to make a kimono.  The craftsmen keep sitting for a long time to draw complicated pictures. The position where the pictures are drawn is fixed in advance, and it takes two or three weeks to complete a cloth. The whole process needs great concentration and patience.

It also takes very long time to be a true expert of the first rank. Those who want to be a real craftsman are required to start working as apprentice in their youth. Tough and hard studying, working and supporting their masters for years, they will gradually become real craftsmen.

However, because of the diversification of job varieties, less and less young people want to be craftsmen; further, considering the reducing population, the numbers are and will be reducing rapidly in Japan. In the mean time, those craftsmen are getting old, and they are facing serious successor problems everywhere in the crafts industry. It is a true tragedy if those techniques are not succeeded in the next generation and simply lost…

“Convey those precious and a wealth of Japanese traditional culture all over the world” - this is Focus Japan’s role and what we are aiming for.

Written by Yabuuchi

One of the most important concepts of Japanse culture "Mitate"

"Mitate" is one of the most important concepts to understand Japanese traditional culture. In short, "Mitate" means to see something to resemble others; is a way of expression which gives freshness and element of surprise, and thus it gives people intriguing experience.



For example, "Ikebana(Japanese flower arrangement)", or "Bonsai" as well, simulates beauty of nature into a snapshot in a vase, or it can be said, of beauty and grace of ladies in beutifully arranged flowers. In a larger scale , it becomes Nihon Teien(Japanese garden) . Like this way, you can find "Mitate" in various fields in Japanese culture.

"Sado(Japanese tea ceremony) is another good example of "Mitate" . Drinking tea itself is just an everyday activity. However, the ancient Sado experts saw it in a different angle and heightened it to the level of art, which also related to the mind of Zen. They even used ordinary tea cups which had been used day-to-day home in Korea at that time. They integrated those cups into the most important part of this form of beauty.



The "Mitate" concept can be said that it comes from people's real creative mind that is in the sprit of no constraints. This is, of course, not a monopoly for Japanese people so you can own "Mitate" in your room using "Byobu", "Andon", "Aritayaki" porcelain, etc. and sophisticate your own "Mitate" talent!