Traditional Crafts of Yamagata Prefecture

5 crafts designated by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Textiles
Oitama Pongee Silk
置賜紬

Luxurious hand-woven silk from Yamagata's置賜 region, produced in three distinct varieties including Yonezawa, Nagaigori, and Shirataka weaves of exceptional quality.

Other Crafts
Tendo Shogi Chess Pieces
天童将棋駒

Masterfully crafted Japanese chess pieces from Tendo, Yamagata, which produces over 90% of Japan's shogi pieces using polished boxwood and hand-brushed characters.

Textiles
Uetsu Shina Linen
羽越しな布

Rare plant-fiber textile from the Tsuruoka and Murakami border region, woven from linden tree bark in a tradition over 1,000 years old. Prized for its cool texture.

Buddhist Altars & Fittings
Yamagata Buddhist Altar
山形仏壇

Intricately crafted Buddhist home altars from Yamagata, combining woodwork, lacquer, gold leaf, and metalwork in elaborate hand-built religious furnishings.

Metalwork
Yamagata Cast Metalwork
山形鋳物

Fine cast-iron and bronze craft from Yamagata City with over 1,000 years of history, producing iron kettles, vases, and decorative pieces of refined elegance.