Kamakura Carving

Lacquerware produced in Echizen, Fukui Prefecture, with over 1,500 years of history. Known for its durability and beautiful luster, it represents a comprehensive craft tradition from woodworking to lacquering. Currently accounts for over 80% of Japan's lacquerware production, maintaining its status as a major center of the craft.

Inlaid woodcraft produced in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture. Combines different colored woods to create complex geometric patterns. Originating from tea box manufacturing in the Edo period, now crafted into small boxes, coasters, and decorative items. Characterized by intricate craftsmanship and visual elegance.

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 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.

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.