Inshu Washi

One of Japan's oldest washi production areas with 1,500 years of history in Echizen, Fukui Prefecture. The quality is so high that it even produces paper for Japanese banknotes, with world-class technical expertise. Used widely for calligraphy, printmaking, shoji screens, and fusuma, it continues to serve as the core of washi culture.

Traditional washi paper produced in the Mino region of Gifu Prefecture with over 1,300 years of history. Made from high-quality kozo bark, it is thin, durable, and has excellent light-transmitting properties. Used for shoji and fusuma (sliding doors) and also utilized in contemporary art. Registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014.

Traditional Japanese hand-made paper created from plant fibers like mulberry, hemp, and gampi, characterized by durability and beauty. Used for calligraphy paper, prints, and architectural decoration, with over 1,000 years of history and UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage registration.

A lacquerware craft tradition passed down for over 600 years in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture. It is renowned for its durability achieved through the unique jinoko undercoat technique and its gorgeous ornamentation using chinkin and maki-e. It is considered one of the finest traditional crafts in Japan.

A luxury silk textile with over 1,200 years of history in Kyoto's Nishijin district. Characterized by elaborate patterns woven with gold and silver threads, it is renowned as the finest material for obi sashes and kimono. Its complex pre-dyed weaving techniques represent the zenith of Japanese textile art.

A traditional Japanese art of expressing characters artistically using brush and ink. Introduced from China, it evolved uniquely in Japan through kana calligraphy. Each stroke is said to embody the writer's spirit, and the irreversibility of each mark creates both tension and beauty. It is widely practiced and incorporated into school education.