Interested in seeing characters of the popular manga and anime Kuroko’s Basketball as pieces of traditional Japanese crafts? Well, here’s your chance!
That’s right, characters from Kuroko’s Basketball have been turned into four different traditional craft items from across Japan, and all of them well-known and respected crafts too, so you can be sure the quality is top-notch.
Let’s take a look at the products, shall we?
[Nishijin Weaving from Kyoto]
Nishijin is a form of textile weaving which originated in Kyoto over 1,200 years ago and involves creating complex patterns using yarns of many different colors. Nishijin fabrics have many uses but are famous for being used in expensive kimonos and obi belts.
Now, seven characters from Kuroko’s basket ball have been turned into brightly colored practical-looking bags decorated with valuable Nishijin fabric, each priced at 19,800 yen (US$163.51).
▼ The entire bag isn’t made of Nishijin cloth, but it is made of quality canvas material and is decorated with Nishijin fabric on the side and the inside surface of the pocket flap.
▼Each bag is made in a color to match the seven characters and decorated with carefully selected Nishijin patterns to complete the look. From left to right and top to bottom the characters are: Tetsuya Kuroko,Taiga Kagami, Ryōta Kise, Shintarō Midorima, Daiki Aomine, Atsushi Murasakibara and Seijūrō Akashi.
[Hakone Yosegi Wood Parquetry from Kanagawa]
Hakone, located in Kanagawa Prefecture which is not too far from Tokyo, is a town famous for its numerous hot springs and also its beautiful yosegi craft, which involves putting together pieces of wood of varying colors to form an amazing variety of delicate geometric patterns. Yosegi (which literally means “placing wood together”) craft in the Hakone region has a history spanning roughly 200 years, and in this case, the technique has been used to create a bag charm-type accessory in seven different designs.
▼ Each charm has a unique yosegi pattern, again created to match the image of the same seven characters as the Nishijin bags. The charms cost 4,980 yen ($41.15) each.
[Kawatsura lacquerware (shikki) from Akita]
The line-up also includes a lacquerware product, beautiful chopsticks made in the tradition of Kawatsura lacquer, also available in seven designs. Kawatsura lacquerware is a craft based in the town of Kawatsura in Akita Prefecture, located in the northwest main island of Japan, and has a history of roughly 800 years.
▼ The brightly colored chopsticks are painted with different patterns again specifically designed for each of the seven characters. The chopsticks are priced at 7,980 yen ($65.97) a pair, and while not cheap, they’re certain to brighten your dining table at meal times.
[Edo Kiriko glassware from Tokyo]
And lastly, we have Edo Kiriko glassware, a nearly 200-year-old craft that developed in Edo (present-day Tokyo) and involves cutting complex and delicate patterns into colorful glass. There are two Edo Kiriko glass items available, a cup in Tetsuya Kuroko’s blue color and a plate in Seijūrō Akashi’s deep red.
▼ The blue cup, priced at 19,800 yen ($163.67) is decorated with motifs depicting a basketball, cups of vanilla shake and sakura cherry flowers. The red plate, which costs 29,800 yen ($246.33), also has a basketball motif on it, surrounded by images depicting the sun and also shogi game pieces as well.
So, what do you think of the unique products showcasing various well-known Japanese traditional crafts? The items become available for pre-order on the PREMICO online shopping site starting December 19, but unfortunately, they don’t ship overseas. We still hope you enjoyed looking at the different designs, though, since we always find it interesting to see how pop culture can be merged with traditional arts and crafts!
Source: PREMICO website via Nijimen.net
Photos: PREMICO website