Exploring the rich and diverse world of Japanese arts and crafts
Byobu screens come in a variety of sizes and were made to divide rooms and protect privacy in traditional Japanese interiors as well as a backdrop for other Japanese arts.
Japan is renowned worldwide for its refined arts and cultural achievements. Beyond the well-known traditional arts, Japan has a vast array of crafts and folk arts that capture the essence of the Japanese experience. This article will introduce 30 key Japanese arts and crafts, ranging from the classic to the contemporary.
Traditional Japanese painting styles and techniques
Japanese painting encompasses a wide variety of genres and styles. Some of the most notable include:
- Aburae (oil painting): Influenced by Western techniques from the 16th century onward, aburae reflects the increasing influence of the West through the Edo Period and Japan's opening to the world.
- Nihonga (traditional Japanese painting): Literally meaning 'Japanese painting', nihonga uses traditional materials like paper, silk, wood or plaster as a base, with sumi ink, mineral pigments, and gold leaf applied in abundance.
- Suibokuga (ink wash painting): Using only black sumi ink on paper, suibokuga produces seemingly simple yet highly evocative images. It is often used to decorate fusuma sliding doors with traditional landscapes.
- Ukiyo-e (woodblock prints): Flourishing during the Edo Period, ukiyo-e depicted the world of kabuki actors, geisha, sumo wrestlers and landscapes. Master artists like Katsushika Hokusai elevated the art to iconic status.
Japanese ceramics and pottery
Japanese ceramics, or togei, is one of the oldest crafts in Japan dating back to the Neolithic Jomon period. Famous styles and production areas include:
- Imari-Arita porcelain: Produced around the town of Arita in Saga, Imari ware is prized for its light, white body and vivid colors. It was widely exported to Europe in the 17th-19th centuries.
- Other famous kiln towns and areas include Tokoname in Aichi known for its maneki neko beckoning cats; Shigaraki in Shiga, renowned for tanuki raccoon dog figurines; Bizen in Okayama; Mashiko in Tochigi; and Echizen in Fukui.
- Lacquerware (shikki): Lacquerware bowls and trays play an important role in the tea ceremony and Japanese cuisine. Kyoto is a center of lacquerware production.
Japanese textiles and fashion
Japan's rich textile traditions can be seen in its iconic traditional garments:
- Kimono: Japan's national dress, kimono are made of fine fabrics like silk and feature intricate dyeing and embroidery. Kimono production is most associated with Kyoto and its geisha tradition.
- Yukata: A casual summer kimono usually made of cotton, yukata originated as bathhouse wear but are now popular as light, informal street clothing.
- Tenugui (decorative towels): These thin cotton towels, featuring colorful printed designs, have a multitude of uses from wiping hands to wrapping gifts or serving as decorations.
Japanese paper arts
Washi, traditional handmade Japanese paper, serves as the basis for many iconic paper arts:
- Origami (paper folding): The quintessential Japanese paper craft, origami transforms a flat sheet into three-dimensional forms through precise folding techniques. Both a hobby and high art form, origami has a huge global following.
- Washi (traditional Japanese paper): Washi paper, made from plant fibers like mulberry, is prized for its strength, texture and versatility. It is used for everything from calligraphy to lanterns to origami.
- Chochin (paper lanterns): These delicate yet sturdy lanterns made of bamboo and washi paper can be seen illuminating temples, shrines, restaurants and festivals across Japan.
Japanese dolls and figurines
Ningyō, or dolls, have a long history in Japan as imperial court toys, Hina Matsuri displays, and good luck charms:
- Kokeshi dolls: Simple and charming, kokeshi are wooden dolls with large heads and cylindrical bodies painted in bold, colorful designs. They originated as souvenirs of hot spring towns in northern Japan.
- Daruma dolls: Named after Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, rotund Daruma dolls are seen as good luck charms. Their blank eyes are filled in upon making a wish or setting a goal.
- Maneki-neko (beckoning cat figurines): These cute cat figures with a raised paw are found in shops and restaurants across Japan. Different colors and paw positions hold different meanings, but all are believed to bring good luck and fortune.
- Hakata Dolls: Delicate, elegant and made from clay, Hakata ningyō come from Fukuoka on the southern island of Kyushu. They typically portray beautiful women, children, samurai or geisha.
The dainty little dolls depict the hierarchy of the Heian Period (794-1192) court life starting with the Emperor and Empress and going down through the ranks.
Japanese floral arts
Flowers play a key role in Japanese aesthetics, as witnessed in these two iconic arts:
- Ikebana (flower arrangement): More than just putting flowers in a vase, ikebana is a disciplined art form that combines nature and humanity to convey specific feelings or meanings. Different styles employ varying techniques.
- Bonsai (miniature tree cultivation): The art of growing miniature trees in containers, bonsai combines horticultural techniques and artistic aesthetics to produce living sculptures. Bonsai can be enjoyed by anyone with space for a small tree.
Japanese calligraphy and writing arts
The flowing brushstrokes of calligraphy lend an artistic flair to Japan's writing systems:
- Shodo (Japanese calligraphy): Using brush and ink to write kanji and kana characters, shodo expresses meaning as much through the form and flow of the strokes as the literal meaning of the words.
- Mizuhiki (decorative knot tying): The art of tying intricate decorative knots around gifts, mizuhiki cords come in various colours, each with a different symbolic meaning. The practice was especially codified during the Edo period.
Japanese calligraphy: "River long, mountain high."
Other notable Japanese arts and crafts
Japan boasts countless other traditional arts and crafts, each with its own deep history and cultural significance:
- Chado (Japanese tea ceremony): The iconic ritual of preparing and serving matcha green tea, the tea ceremony is a choreographed art form that reflects the aesthetics and philosophy of Zen Buddhism.
- Takezaiku (bamboo weaving): Prized for its combination of strength and flexibility, bamboo is used to weave everything from baskets to screens to sculptures. Bamboo crafts can be both utilitarian and high art.
- Kodo (incense appreciation): The art of enjoying and distinguishing different types of incense, kodo is considered one of the three classical Japanese arts of refinement along with ikebana and chado.
- Anime and manga (Japanese animation and comics): While not strictly traditional, anime and manga have become synonymous with Japanese popular culture worldwide. They encompass a huge range of genres and styles catering to all demographics.
