4 crafts designated by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Fine calligraphy brushes handcrafted in Nara with animal hair tips set into bamboo handles. Favored by calligraphers and painters, Nara brushes are prized for their perfect spring, ink absorption, and tip precision.
Traditional solid ink sticks from Nara, the historic center of Japanese ink production. Ground on an inkstone with water, Nara ink produces rich, nuanced blacks essential for calligraphy and sumi-e ink painting.
Precision furniture crafted in Osaka from rare imported hardwoods including rosewood and ebony, using nail-free joinery. The deep natural grain of the wood is showcased in shelves, desks, and decorative boxes.
Handcrafted bamboo whisks from Ikoma in Nara, essential for whisking matcha in Japanese tea ceremony. Takayama produces around 90% of Japan's chasen, each carved from a single bamboo stalk into hundreds of fine tines.