Takezaiku, or bamboo weaving, is an ancient form of Japanese art that involves taking a strong but inflexible material (bamboo) and making it not only moldable, but beautiful at the same time. It involves slicing the sinuous bamboo into strips, soaking them in water, and weaving them, generally into baskets and other utensils. Japanese tea…
Tag: artisan
Asakusa – Bengara
You can’t walk around Japan without seeing the beautiful noren hanging in the doorways of shops and restaurants, but what if you wanted a unique one to take home as a souvenir? The ability to custom order a noren combined with a friendly owner who can communicate fairly well in English makes Bengara the place…
Asakusa – Getaya
Though the business card says “Since 1912”, talk to the owner and he says Getaya has been in the business of traditional Japanese footwear for 116 years. If you want high quality, Japanese-handcrafted geta (wooden shoes) or zori (vinyl and more formal), Getaya has a huge selection. You can even choose the wooden base you…
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