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craftsmanship

Studio Ghibli showcases traditional craftsmanship with new wallet range

Totoro and No Face bring anime star power to a craft coveted by samurai.

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Japanese samurai randoseru backpack lets you carry the bushido spirit with you wherever you go

Award-winning warrior knapsack now available for sale.

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Starbucks teams up with the oldest of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns to create a Bizen ware coffee mug

Ancient Japanese pottery techniques create a sublime coffee-drinking experience.

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Keanu Reeves teams up with Suntory for new series exploring Japanese whisky and monozukuri【Video】

“An Exploration of Monozukuri with Keanu Reeves” takes us on a fascinating deep dive into Japanese craftsmanship, with Roman Coppola and the Hollywood star who was “staggered” when he first tasted Hibiki. 

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Aluminum case to carry puffed corn snack Umaibo developed

Protect your most valuable 12-yen snack food.

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Studio Ghibli releases a Totoro wind chime with a century of craftsmanship behind it

Anime studio’s love for traditional processes extends to its newest merchandise offering.

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Crowdfunding success for handmade formalwear masks in samurai’s favorite color

Look like victory with Kacciro.

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Beautifully crafted bag shows off intricate artistry and is perfect for keeping your snowman cool

Practical? Maybe not. Gorgeous craftsmanship? Absolutely.

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Starbucks Roastery Tokyo releases lucky Japanese dolls to end the pandemic in the New Year

Plague-ending talismans made by a fifth-generation Kyoto doll craftsman. 

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The ancient Japanese textile craft made with jagged fingernails

These artisans carve out an essential tool at the end of their fingertips.

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Surprisingly simple and fast process of hand-lettering store’s name on glass awes net users

Aka that time when watching the paint dry really was fun.

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Japanese company creates lacquered tableware that feels like human skin

The centuries-old company is using a sensual ad campaign to draw attention to their innovative new range.

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Sweet suspense: Japanese craftsman uses giant brush to fill in detailed ceramic patterns【Video】

We’ve showcased a number of calming videos featuring traditional craftsmen at work, but this clip has the added bonus of suspense. 

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Japanese Nickel Damascus knives look exquisite and a little like they’re slipping out of reality

Don’t you hate it when you get ready to do some cooking and Paul Hogan comes out of nowhere ridiculing your cookware with taunts of “Ya call that a knife?”

Me too.

That’s why next time I’ll be ready with my new Nickel Damascus Chef’s Knife forged by famous Echizen blacksmith Takeshi Saji using techniques that span the globe. Now that’s what I call a knife!

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  • May 11, 2015

Holes in your clothes? Not a problem for this amazing kaketsugi mending craftsman!

Isn’t it just a bummer when you get a tear or hole in one of your precious clothes? It’s terribly sad when you have to say good-bye to your favorite piece of clothing because of that small hole … or do you really have to?

What if  the hole could be almost magically repaired? Well, one Japanese craftsman who was featured in a Korean television program seems to be able to do exactly that, and his mending technique is amazing — just take a look and see if you can tell where the material was repaired!

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Japanese carpenters demonstrate traditional wooden joints and it’s oddly satisfying 【Video】

Despite Japan’s modern image as a country obsessed with the latest technologic advances and all things robotic, age-old Japanese methods and traditions are still highly valued, such as carpenters who use traditional joint-making techniques to fasten together pieces of wood without nails or screws. A video demonstrating this unique part of traditional Japanese carpentry has been making the rounds on the Internet lately with netizens amazed, and oddly mesmerized, by the almost hypnotic way these carpenters perfectly connect enormous pieces of wood.

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School kids in Japan build incredible working tea cup rides for school festivals

From preschool all the way to university, Japan has a very proud tradition of schools festivals. Every year, the students and teachers work together to transform their school into an array of art, entertainment and food their goal to make the school as fun as possible for everyone who attends. High schools and colleges especially go the extra mile to show that their school is number one by having various cafes, haunted houses, cosplay photography, and performances.

But there’s an event idea that has gone viral because of the amazing efforts of one high school: a manually operated tea cup ride.

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