The Roots of Japan's Artistic Elegance Lie in Its Revered Folk Art Traditions.

by Mona Iskander, Absolute Asia

Visitors to Japan are often awed by its artistic elegance and grace. The arts are represented in many different forms: architecture, painting, food, crafts and clothing. Throughout this island archipelago, there are many places to visit and explore for a real sense of the Japanese creative spirit. Focusing on one or several aspects of Japanese culture and heritage familiarizes visitors to this majestic nation. There is a cornucopia of artistic expression within Japanese culture that is preserved today by a continued inspiration from both tradition and modernity.

Traditional Japanese folk arts are still commonly used throughout the country, including wooden bathing buckets, baskets, indigo textiles, and, most importantly, gorgeous pottery and lacquerware. Japanese mingei, often translated as folk-art, was the name of a movement begun in the 1920s and 1930s to preserve the crafts made to be used daily by the people. These crafts were revered for their natural qualities, where thoughtful designs respected the simplicity of the materials..  

Beginning in Tokyo you can experience a wide overview of the county’s folk crafts provided at the Japan Folk Crafts Museum, founded by Soetsu Yanage, one of the Mingei Movement founders. An excursion to the outside area of Tokyo, called Kawagoe, is highly recommended to visit the Merchant House district, where many traditional crafts such as wooden geta slippers, bath buckets, paper, indigo textiles, tea ceremony sweets, pottery and lacquerware are still sold. While in Tokyo, it is well worth your time to visit Morita, a small shop in Harajuku with an impressive collection of antique folk crafts for sale, and the several leading department stores for the opportunity to purchase beautiful pottery and lacquerware on the “Living Goods” floors. 

By bullet train, you can get to Kurashiki, famous for its white kura storehouses used for keeping family heirlooms safe. Visit the Museum of Folkcraft and the Bikan Historic District. A highlight of a stay here is a drive through rural countryside to the small village of Imbe. This remote village – rarely visited by tourists – is the home of rustic bizen pottery, the style of pottery most revered by tea ceremony practitioners and many other connoisseurs of Japanese art. Continue into the Japanese Alps to Takayama, a traditional old highland town with narrow streets that remain characteristic of the Edo Period.

Here, an excursion to Furukawa is highly recommended as it is the home of Mishima-san, the candlesmith who produces Japan’s most sought-after traditional candles. In Kyoto, visits include the city’s most important temples, shrines and gardens. The Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Hall, former home of one of Japan’s most influential and internationally-renowned craftsmen (and former “living treasure”) is a great place to tour. Also a visit to the distinguished Miho Museum is well worth your time.  The architectural layout of the museum was designed by the great Chinese-American architect, I.M. Pei.

Japanese folk arts continue to flourish and receive international attention and respect.  From remote villages in the countryside to the most cosmopolitan of cities, traditional arts are revered and serve as a common thread linking different generations.  Visitors to Japan will delight in the endless crafts that can be purchased in these intriguing locations. 

Mona Iskander is the marketing coordinator of Absolute Asia, a tour operator that specializes in journeys to Asian countries.