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!

Japanese traditional room

This is a movie of a traditional Japanese room(和室). This movie was taken in a famous temple in Kyoto. As you can see, in general, compared to the modern, old Japanese rooms are much spacious. There are tatami mats(畳) on the floor, and usually, it consists of a table and some square floor cushions. This is a typical style of the Japanese traditional room.

Traditionally in Japan, people have used one large room in many purposes. For example, it can be used for a big family dinning using the table and cushions; in another time, it can be used as bed room, putting the table and cushions away and instead putting futon (Japanese bedding) down on the tatami floor.

Japanese traditional rooms are very useful in many ways as mentioned above. But, sometimes it is inconvenient when you use one room in more than two ways since there are no partitions. So the Japanese folding screen, called “Byobu”, is the solution. With Byobu, you can divide one room in more than two parts like, for example, one part for dinning, and the other for living room.Written by Yabuuchi

How to make "Andon"

 

We introduced "Andon" Japanese handmade lighting before.
Today let me show you how to make Andon.

First of all, artisan cuts wood materials.

He mesures the right size of each parts and cut it with cutting machine. In the final stage of cutting, he uses a chisel to make them right shape as above picture. He also uses a plane to 

make them smooth. It takes much time to make write shapes of each parts by hand working.

After that, he makes frame with all parts. This fine motif is also made by hand working one by one. It takes perseverance to complete it.

Then he sticks handmade paper on the frame. And put the light inside of it.

Andon's sophisticated light is made by every hand work of each artisan. 

It makes people’s hearts warm.

 

Please visit our page to see more lights.

http://jp112496852.trustpass.alibaba.com/



written by Ogita

"don't waste (mottainai)" is Japanese spirit !

In japan we have a traditional thinking " Mottainai" means "don't waste ".
So Japanese traditional artifacts are also made based on "Mottainai"spirit.


Today I will show you the evidence !

This paper was found in a Japanese f
usuma when it would be repaste a new Japanese paper .
This document is an application form for the prefecture written in 1872.
At that time people reused this paper for base.
So the owners have used  this fusuma for almost 130years !
The present owner wanted the artisans to renew Japanese paper on the same old wood frame.
And he will be able to use this fusuma more 100 years!


Like this our traditional thinking is good for the environment.
We respect the nature and the earth.
If you come to Japan you can experience the feel of "Mottainai" !


written by Kihara

Byobu (屏風/ folding screen)

Byobu, or folding screen is used in rooms for prevention of winds from outside, for partition of a big room, and decoration.



The standard size of Byobu is about 150cm height and 70cm width. We connect 2~6 Byobu into one wavy Byobu, so it becomes stable and portable.


The surface of Byobu is coverd with paper, and Yamato-e (大和絵;Japanese traditional pictures); Japanese rural scenery, plum trees or cherry blossoms, flowers and birds, for example. Gold foil and silver foil are used for pictures, so it's very decorative.

Byobu has a very long history. About 1200 years ago, it came from Korea. Then it was used among aristocrats at that time.


After that, it was also used in temples, and then, about 400 years ago, it spread among the common people.
At present, Byobu is used for mostly the ornament in rituals, marriage ceremony for example. So the main purpose of Byobu is decoration nowadays.

Focus Japan deals in Byobu. The size is smaller than traditional ones, so it's very compact and useful for ornamental accents in any rooms.


Don't you want to display them in your room?


Written by Yabuuchi

Izakaya (Japanese pub)

Today I introduce Japanese popular style pub "Izakaya".
Have you heard " Izakaya"?


They are one of  the best place where you can feel "Real Japan".
There you can drink and eat Japanese food "Sashimi","Yakitori","Sushi",and some Japanese home cuisine.


Today there are many style of Izakaya in Japan especially in Tokyo.
I'll show you some types of Izakaya. When you come to Japan, you should try your choice.

1.Traditional style

"Kagiya" is one of the oldest Izakaya in Japan.

They have been there for 150 years!!(since 1856)

You can feel edo style.(the picture is kagiya)

http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1311/A131104/13003743/

2.Revolutional style

"Izakaya Kakumei" means Izakaya revolution !

There you can drink "shochu"japanese spirit for free!!!

and more suprised that if you are woman, you can drink

"japanese sake"and"umeshu"plum wine for free!

It's a real revolution.

http://izakaku.net/tenpo/001.html

3.Kawaii style
I'm sure all of you know the Japanese word "kawaii".
In "Izakaya hanako" real Japanese kawaii girls will serve you
for waitress !
The foods are very good ,and you can also experience "Kawaii".
But please be careful ! They are just waitresses, real usual japanese girls.
http://i-hanako.com/index.html

There are much more styles of Izakaya in Japan !!
Any way you have to come to Japan , and have to feel "Real Japan"!!

"Andon" Japanese traditional lighting

This is Andon, Japanese traditional lamp. It was spread around Japan in Edo era.

Andon is a like a box made of wooden frame paper screens. In Edo era, people put lighted oiled cottons in it. Before the invention of Andon, people use only a lighted candle or cotton on the small plate as a lighting.

There are some type of Andon to suit to every aspect of life.

First of all, most of people used it as a floor lamp. People often sit on Tatami, Japanese floor mat with Andon. Also, everyone used it as the bedside lamp in case of emergency.
Secondly, People put a strap on Andon to bring it to outside. It helps people to go outside at night time.

Still now Andon is used as ornamental lighting in Japanese traditional style houses and shops.

We put light bulb in it in place of oiled cotton.

You will relax in the warm atmosphere with Andon's soft light.

 

Focus Japan provides many kinds of handmade Andons.

Please visit Alibaba page.

http://jp112496852.trustpass.alibaba.com/


written by Ogita

Arita Porcelain

Have you ever heard of Arita Porcelain？？





Arita Porcelain is usually called Arita Yaki(Arita is place, Yaki means bake) or Imari Yaki. In Japanese character, we spell it 有田焼 伊万里焼 

so, what are those things?
ceramic? glass? or,,,melamine?





no, those are made of Porcelain.


"Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a klin to temperatures between 1,200℃(2,192°F) and 1,400℃(2,552°F). The toughness, strength, and translucence of porcelain arise mainly from the formation of glass and the mineral mullite within the fried body at these high temperatures. " quoted by wikipedia.

in short,,,This is very sophisticated, historical, traditional Japanese great product.


We provide this product in our Alibaba page,


http://jp112496852.trustpass.alibaba.com/




We show many kinds of Arita Porcelain. For example, plate, sause plate, coffee cup and tumbler cup. Those products are made by the Porcelain craftsmaker, Colin An.


Colin An has great reputation from American and European specialist of Porcelain.
They have hold exhibition many times at many galleys including, over 10 places in Japan, and even Rockefeller Center and famous Korean hotel.


And this is very surprising.
Colin An gave Arita Porcelain as a present to the most famous cellist, Yo-Yo ma, and formerSecretary of State, Rice and former American president, George W Bush.
As you figure out, Colin An is a very famous and great Arita Porcelain.
If you get interested in these products, please come to check our Alibaba page!
                                                                                          
                                                                                                written by Suzuki

How to make paper slide door"Fusuma"

Japanese earth friendly paper slide door "Fusuma".

The leftside artisan is my uncle.

and my father is also an artisan. and my granpa too.

First they get woodframes  paste japanese foundation paper.

and dry them for a while.

Second paste finishing japanese paper.(the movie is this scene)

and dry them.

Third they clobber finishing woodframe.

finally fit in metal pull on surface.

This fusuma has very long history and can use same woodframe again and again .

If you replace old paper by new one , you can use same frame for hundreds years!

So, sometime you can find very old foundation paper in fusuma which people wrote down something hundreds years ago.
But their letters are very different from today's ,so we can't read.


As just descrebed Japanese slide door "fusuma" has very long history.
Please refer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVnQvhS4vRs


written by Kihara

About Focus Japan

Focus Japan, Inc. is a TOKYO-based company specializes in introducing various authentic Japanese products, including elaborate artifacts, to overseas markets.


Traditionally, there are a lot of highly-skillful artisans, as well as engineers who manufactures state-of-the-art industrial products in Japan. Many of those work as individual or in small and medium sized companies (SMEs) that do not have tools of communication and business experience in global markets.

Our mission is to explore those artisans and SMEs with their magnificent artifacts and products; introduce them to the world; and help them go into the global markets with confidence. Since their lack of experience in international trading, we can be the exporter on behalf of them, or they, with our full-support, will directly deal with customers.

Our group has a business-development consulting company called, Focus Business Produce, Inc. (FBP) FBP has been carefully building reliable, extensive network in those industries for years. With this background, we are able to introduce Japanese authentic works from various different fields. We will also try to introduce how it is made or its background by using video so that people in the world can have a better understanding of a product.


If you are interested in us and the products, please feel free to contact us. Our staff members speak English and Chinese.


Please visit our Alibaba page.
http://jp112496852.trustpass.alibaba.com/