Hakone Inlaid Woodwork

Woodcraft tradition in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture. Creates intricate geometric patterns by interlocking wooden pieces without nails or adhesive. Transmitted through Takayama master craftsmen since the Edo period, valued for architectural components and decorative items. Characterized by precise, beautiful geometric patterns.

Wooden craft produced in Odate, Akita Prefecture. Creates containers by heating and bending thin cedar or cypress boards, secured with birch bark. Used as bento boxes since the Edo period, valued for not affecting food flavor, now prized as tea utensils and tableware. Characterized by distinctive aroma and beautiful luster.

Woodcraft produced in Hakone Town, Kanagawa Prefecture. A technique combining different colored woods to create geometric patterns, it continues Edo-period traditions and represents the pinnacle of yosegi marquetry. Typical works include small boxes and writing cases featuring intricate, complex patterns. Representative of Japanese woodworking culture realized through artisans' advanced techniques.

A woodworking craft developed in Kamakura, Kanagawa. Distinctive carving techniques create patterns in wooden objects, finished with lacquer coating. Originally produced as Buddhist altar items from the Muromachi period, it now encompasses tableware and decorative pieces. Characterized by its simple, refined beauty.

Traditional wooden dolls originating from hot spring areas in the Tohoku region. Characterized by a cylindrical body and spherical head turned on a lathe, they are beloved for their simple yet warm expressions. Shapes and patterns differ by production area, and traditional kokeshi are classified into eleven lineages.

Woodcraft tradition in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture. Creates intricate geometric patterns by interlocking wooden pieces without nails or adhesive. Transmitted through Takayama master craftsmen since the Edo period, valued for architectural components and decorative items. Characterized by precise, beautiful geometric patterns.

A woodcraft tradition from the Hakone region spanning over 200 years. It features an intricate technique of combining natural woods of different colors and grains to create geometric patterns. The himitsu-bako (puzzle box), opened through sliding mechanisms like a puzzle, is particularly famous and captivates travelers worldwide.

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.