Journal

A land of understated minimalism, Japan is equally a place for the bright coloured patterns of kimono. Its tradition in dye is rich, and reflects centuries in development. The colourful partitions between rooms, a folded piece of fabric in bags, or hanging at the entrance of a temple or business. One the most vibrant techniques is katazome, or stencil dye, which is both part of Japan’s classic and modern language in design.At wagumi for summer 2022, we have a collection from a contemporary exponent of katazome, Toyokazu Ono, who works at his Yotsume dye studio in southern Japan. Ono’s work...

Beginning this month at wagumi we will present a collection of items from Tsubame-Sanjo in Niigata, northern Japan.This is an area known for its legacy in metal craft, and for the innumerable small and medium size enterprises that are ever creating new items for use. They are masters in engineering, in craft, and in ideas for things that will make tasks a little more smooth and enjoyable.Tsubame and Sanjo are in fact two towns in the fertile rice growing region of Niigata, separated by the Shinano river. This proximity to the river was the cause of near downfall for their...

For the remainder of summer at wagumi we have a line up to equip you for the ups and downs of the season.Firstly, if it is warm, and you wish to self generate a cool breeze, we have fans from a region of Japan that is famous for them.Marugame is on the northern tip of Kagawa prefecture, the smallest county in Japan, facing onto the inland sea.This is a sea that once housed pirates, and is full of islands where they made their base. It is famous today for citrus fruits, olives, and tasty soy sauce.A visitor across this sea,...

Beginning this month, at wagumi we have a special collection of items from Ehime.  This is under the title Ehi-merry Christmas.  At the end of 2020, when much has gone wrong, we would humble submit that this just the kind of thing we need.     Ehime, the pearl of the Japanese inland sea.  A sunny place, it is on the northwest corner of the Shikoku island, facing Hiroshima to the north.   In addition to its happy geography, it is somewhere renowned for fine things.  Most immediately, what comes to mind for many Japanese people is citrus fruit.  This...