Japanese Crafts: A Complete Guide to Today's Traditional Handmade Objects

It is nothing less than a miracle that so many of Japan's extraordinary craft traditions are alive and even thriving today. Centuries-old pursuits long extinct in the West still flourish in Japan, much to the delight of people the world over who cherish the handmade object. From lacquered wooden chests and intricately woven baskets to refined kimono and chiseled stone lanterns, fine objects are lovingly produced by skilled craftsmen and women in a manner perfected generations earlier.

This is the first book in English to present today's traditional crafts under one cover and the first and only guide to the contemporary craft centers of Japan. A monumental effort seven years in the making, Japanese Crafts catalogs an array of items found throughout the country and discusses their history, artistry, and contemporary standing. An introduction by Diane Durston delves into the intricacies of Japanese crafts and contemplates the future of Japan's ongoing artisan traditions.

With over ninety items from all genres--textiles, ceramics, wood, bamboo, lacquer, paper, and metal--and a wealth of illustrations, Japanese Crafts provides the perfect introduction to this cherished but vanishing world, and will prove invaluable for artists, craftspeople, designers, researchers, and lovers of the handmade object everywhere.

The book includes a list of craft associations, a map of craft villages, a list of regional craft museums, show rooms, and craft centers, and an English-Japanese / Japanese-English crafts?index with kanji characters, as well as an extensive, annotated list of suggestions for further reading, including hard-to-find volumes.