Journal

At wagumi now we have a collection of items from Kagoshima in south Japan. This is entitled Kagoshima: Stories in Craft from South Japan. The collection page can be seen here, as we upload to it.Kagoshima was created from the old Satsuma and Ōsumi domains in the late 19th century, and possesses a very distinct history.It is centred on a city in a bay facing a volcano, and has been a place of periodic eruptions, historical adventures and distinctive identities in foods and crafts. At one time Satsuma connected Japan to a wider world, at another it was central to the transformation of...

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 a bag, 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...

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,...