Kai family's straw ornament

Kai family's straw ornament

Driving 3+ hours and going across the Aso mountain from my parents house, I visited the Kai family in Miyazaki prefecture to learn how they make the straw ornaments. I knew about this family since...

Clay dolls from Mr. Miyawaki

Clay dolls from Mr. Miyawaki

Mr. Miyawaki lives in Beppu in Oita prefecture, which is known for its hot spring village in Kyushu Japan. When I saw Mr. Miyawakis’ dolls years ago, I fell in love with his funny and...

Kakishibu fan

Kakishibu fan

Kakishibu Uchiwa is a persimmon tannin dyed paper fan. There are actually a few well known paper fan manufacturers in my hometown but I decided to pick the one made by the Miyamoto family, and visited...

Nakadera Kiln

Nakadera Kiln

Visiting Nishikawa family's kiln. Nakadera kiln was started in 1991 by Kousei Nishikawa who was born in 1951. Before he started his own kiln he trained himself as a craftsman at Fumoto kiln (one of...

Shimoura clay doll

Shimoura clay doll

Memory of the studio visit to buy the clay dolls in Amakusa, Kumamoto. Driving more than three hours from my parents home, I went to see the craftsman of the clay dolls. (I also went...

Fumoto kiln

Fumoto kiln

Visiting Inoue family of Fumoto kiln. (on another rainy day!) When I visit them their daughter Miho welcomed me and kindly showed me their studio.   Fumoto kiln was started by Taishu Inoue in 1965, and...

Mizuho Kiln

Mizuho Kiln

Visiting the ceramicist Loui Fukuda of Mizuho Kiln in the heavy rain.  (Somehow, I tend to hit heavy rain or snow when I go on trips... ) Her cat also welcomed me! Mizuho kiln was started...

Konohazaru clay dolls

Konohazaru clay dolls

Visiting the craftsman of Konohazaru monkey dolls. The craftsman Reizo and his daughter welcomed me.  Reizo showed me the magazine which shows the hand drawing of the monkey doll drawn by one of his customer's...