A Look at Arita Ware This is a promotional video for Japanese porcelain mainly produced in Arita, Saga Prefecture, produced by Japan Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square. If you are interested in learning how the traditional Japanese craft Arita ware is made or the history and culture of Arita Ware, this two-minute video is just what you're looking for! Here we'll introduce the culture and appeal Arita Ware, a traditional craft that is the pride of Japan. Nowadays, beautiful Japanese tableware is attracting a lot of attention from overseas, and many people visit Japan to create their own original tableware through pottery-making experiences such as Arita Ware. The History of Arita Ware Photo：Arita Ware coffee cup Arita ware refers to a type of Japanese porcelain produced in Arita, Saga and the area surrounding the town. Arita Ware is also known as Imari Ware and has over 400 years of the history as a traditional Japanese craft. It dates back 100 years before Meissen which is believed to have been the first place to produce porcelain in Europe. The start of Imari/Arita Ware was the discovery of pottery stones, the raw material used to make porcelain, in the Arita Izumiyama Magnet Field in Arita, Saga. Since no country in Europe was able to produce such white, thin, hard, and shiny porcelain in the 17th century, Arita Ware was popular among European nobles and began being exported to other countries in the late 17th century. Because the products were shipped from a port in Imari, Saga, Arita ware is also called Imari ware. The Characteristics of Arita Ware, a Traditional Japanese Craft and a Famous Important Cultural Property Arita porcelain is a thin, hard, pure white porcelain with a pure white base. The porcelain has shiny surfaces and makes a light metallic sound when tapped. It has a white background with a pattern called "etsuke," and is carefully hand-painted by a craftsman after being fired unglazed. The characteristics of etsuke reflect the culture of each period. One of the characteristics of Arita Ware is the various methods of expression depending on the method of painting and molding. The main variations are "hakuji" (white porcelain), "youkoku" (relief), "sometsuke" (blue and white), "iroe" (colored patterns), "seiji" (celadon), "ruriyu" (lapis lazuli), "sabiyu" (iron glaze) and "shinsha" (cinnabar). Every variation is as beautiful as the last. Arita ware is highly valued in Japan. For example, more than 10 works, including "Iroe Botan Shishi Mon Choushi" (a bottle with colored peony and lion patterns) and "Sometsuke Kaki Mon Tokkuri" (a bottle with blue and white flower patterns) are designated as Important Cultural Properties in Japan. The Traditional Way of Making Arita Ware Source :YouTube screenshot Arita ware is made through the following eight steps: quarrying, powdering, pugging, casting, terracotta, underglaze painting, glazing and baking. Therefore, many craftsmen work together to make a single piece of Arita Ware. Yukio Suzuta, the director of the Kyushu Ceramic Museum in Saga, said in the video: "Arita Ware is a division of labor, and there is a system in place to provide work to as many people as possible." The climate nurtures the culture, and through the hands of many artisans, a piece of art is born. Check out the video to see Arita Ware being made. Arita Ware Prices and Products Photo：Arita Ware pottery market Arita ware is highly valued as tableware for everyday use. Products such as paired bowls and mugs make great gifts as well. While expensive products cost more than a million yen, but there are also discounted teacups that are easily purchased for less than 1,000 yen (~$10 USD). Many Arita ware products are sold on online marketplaces such as Amazon and Rakuten, with the most popular products being coffee cups, mugs and Japanese teacups. Tourists visit the Arita Ceramics Fair, an annual festival held for Golden Week, to get Arita ware at reasonable prices. Summary of the Culture and Charms of Arita Ware While experiencing the history of Arita Ware, you can see the beautiful cityscape of Arita and the skills of the craftsmen who make the porcelain. Arita Ware is a traditional Japanese craft with a history older than the world-famous Meissen porcelain. In just two minutes, you can learn about the history, industry, characteristics, and craftsmanship of Arita Ware, so if you're interested in learning more, be sure to watch the video! Enjoy the world of traditional Arita Ware! 【Official Website】Japan Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square https://kougeihin.jp/en/

"Higo Zogan" - A Traditional Craft of Kumamoto Prefecture For those seeking the beauty of Japan's traditional crafts, or wondering what types of traditional handmade goods Japanese artisans make, this is the video for you! This video, "手技TEWAZA「肥後象がん」Higo Zougan Inlay," was created by "Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square" (伝統工芸 青山スクエア). This video introduces higo zogan craftsman Inada Kentaro. In the video, he is seen using the traditional methods of higo zogan to create a chopstick rest. This is a wonderful video to get a sense of the beauty of Japanese products. An Introduction to the Traditional Japanese Craft, Higo Zogan Source :YouTube screenshot Higo zogan is Kumamoto Prefecture’s traditional craft. It is a form of metalworking where gold and silver leaf are inlaid onto iron in order to create designs. Higo zogan has a long history, and was first used in sword mounts and fixtures, gun barrels, obi fasteners, and hairpins. Now, it is used to create accessories such as tie pins, necklaces, hair pins, cufflinks, loop ties, and earrings, as well as stationery such as ballpoint pens, fountain pens, paperweights, and paper-knives. Many types of products are created using higo zogan. With higo zogan’s birthplace being Kumamoto Prefecture, in recent years, higo zogan pendants featuring Kumamoto’s mascot Kumamon have also been created. The adorable designs make these pendants perfect as gifts. The beauty of Japan’s traditional craft is perfectly paired with modern designs, leading to the creation of attractive products. The Crafting Process of Higo Zogan Source :YouTube screenshot This is an introduction of higo zogan’s crafting process according to the video. The object made this time is a chopstick rest. ・Base-making (生地作り, kiji-dukuri) (0:21) The raw material, iron, is cut and then polished to smooth its corners. ・Inlay preparation (布目切り, nunome-kiri) (0:41) Using a tool called the “tagame,” grooves are carved vertically, horizontally, and diagonally. ・Inlaying and hammering (打ち込み、叩き締め, uchikomi, tatakishime) (1:10) Using a specially sized deer antler, gold or silver is inlaid onto the iron base. ・Smoothing the surface (布目消し, nunome-keshi) (1:55) Using a tool called a “kisaki,” areas with grooves are smoothed and polished. ・Rusting (錆び出し, sabidashi) (2:11) Using iron rust coloring, the surface of the product is blackened. ・Rust-proofing (錆止め, sabidome) (2:30) The product is inserted into boiling tea for rust-proofing. ・Heating (焼き付け, yakiduke) (3:02) Heating prevents the appearance of rust after aging. ・Completion The completed chopstick rest is shown from 3:17 in the video. This is all introduced in detail in the video, so definitely check it out. Purchasing Higo Zogan Products Now, we'll introduce a place to purchase higo zogan products. We recommended "Higo Zogan Mitsusuke" (肥後象嵌　光助) in Kumamoto. At this store, you can even try your hand at making accessories. From accessories such as pendants, brooches, earrings, and gold leaf paintings, to pieces of artwork - There are a multitude of items available, so definitely check them out. In addition, Higo Zogan products are also available through the Internet, so definitely try that out too! As for how to care for the products after purchase, use a dry, soft cloth or a piece of tissue to wipe the product in order to maintain its shine. Summary of Higo Zogan, the Culmination of Craftsmen's Skills Source :YouTube screenshot In the video, the process of Higo Zogan as well as the necessary materials are explained in more detail than in this article, providing an interesting introduction to Higo Zogan. There are also many products perfect as souvenirs introduced in the video. For those who have had their interest piqued by Kumamoto’s Higo Zogan, definitely check out the video! 【Official Website】Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square https://kougeihin.jp/

An Interview With the Founder of Hakata Ippudo This video shows an interview of Kawahara Shigemi, the founder of the leading ramen shop “Hakata Ippudo.” Source :This article Video Ever since it was first founded in the Chuo ward of Fukuoka city in 1985, it has been extremely popular, managing to become a large chain with shops not only across Japan, but also overseas, in places like New York and Singapore. What does Kawahara Shigemi's beloved ramen taste like? This article presents just a handful of the information shown in the video, so be sure to watch the video to hear all about the founder's thoughts. Hakata Ippudo and the Emergence of Ramen as Japanese Cuisine Source :This article Video Ramen has always had an air of insidiousness. Because of this, young people and women were often hesitant to enter ramen shops. Kawahara Shigemi opened his ramen shop with a stylish restaurant-bar-like atmosphere to make ramen more popular as Japanese food. The birth of Hakata Ippudo has made ramen an integral part of Japanese food culture for a younger generation of gourmet fans. All of Hakata Ippudo's ramen shops are modern and stylish. But they are also traditional in many ways, indicating that ramen is a part of Japan's unique culture. The Commitment of Hakata Ippudo Source :This article Video Kawahara Shigemi's commitment to ramen can be seen in various aspects such as the soup, the method of making the noodles, the ingredients, and the seasonings. The soup was intended to be a kind of potage, and taking more than 20 hours to cook, it took the Japanese food industry by surprise. For the noodles, Hakata Ippudo insisted on using homemade noodles, a rarity at the time of its founding. The noodles are crisp and thin enough to match the thick broth of the tonkotsu ramen. The characteristically light, thin noodles pairs well with the thick pork-based soup. “Hakata Ippudo” let the world know that ramen is a Japanese cuisine. It was New York, one of the largest cities in the world, where Kawahara Shigemi chose to begin his global expansion. Initially, the ramen was made using the same recipe as the one made in Japan, but it was rearranged in various ways to suit foreign palates. In 2019, he opened a restaurant in Shinjuku that specializes in "Tonkotsu-style ramen," but was a halal dish that does'nt use any pork bones. Muslims, who are religiously forbidden to eat meat, can safely eat it and it has fewer calories as well. Through these various efforts, ramen has become a Japanese cuisine throughout the world. Ramen Continues to Expand Both in Japan and Abroad. Source :This article Video Ramen now ranks among the top recommended gourmet foods in Japanese cuisine. Many foreigners come to Japan to eat authentic ramen. Some areas famous for ramen in Japan, such as Hokkaido, Tokyo, and Fukuoka, have ramen shops everywhere. Shoyu ramen, shio ramen, miso ramen, tonkotsu ramen, toripaitan ramen, tsukemen, and abura soba are just a few of the many local ramen dishes you can try when you come to Japan. The toppings, such as chashu, menma (bamboo shoots), and broth, vary depending on the type of ramen and the restaurant, so we highly recommend walking around and trying out different types. Summary “Hakata Ippudo” Kawahara Shigemi mentions in the video that, a future where ramen is slurped up by people all over the world, is coming. The Japanese have a very distinct way of eating ramen that involves slurping while making a loud sucking noise. This may be considered rude in other countries, but in Japan it is done to let the Chef known that you enjoy his ramen, and it also enhances the flavor. Ramen is a relatively new addition to the history of Japanese food, and only recently has it become a part of everyone's daily diet. But it's no stretch of the imagination to say that ramen is the most beloved Japanese food in the world. Be sure to check out the video to learn the history of ramen in Japan and the commitment of Ippudo. ◆Ipuudo, Daimyo Main Shop・Store Overview◆ 【Address】1-13-14 Daimyo, Chuo, Fukuoka 810-0041 Fukuoka Prefecture 【Access】A 7-minute walk from Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station on the Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta Line 【Hours】 ＊Monday-Thursday/11:00-23:00 ＊Fridays and before holidays/11:00-24:00 ＊Saturdays/10:30-24:00 ＊Sundays and national holidays/10:30 - 23:00 【Closures】None 【Parking】None 【Telephone】092-771-0880 【Official Website】Ippudo Daimyo Main Shop http://www.multilingual.ippudo.com/en/ 【yelp】 Ippudo Daimyo Main Shop https://www.yelp.com/biz/%E4%B8%80%E9%A2%A8%E5%A0%82-%E5%A4%A7%E5%90%8D%E5%BA%97-%E7%A6%8F%E5%B2%A1%E5%B8%82-4?hrid=tuv7B1SA1HCqHY2AAdx6Kg