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