FROM THE EDITOR

In this month’s special edition we put the spotlight on Japanese traditional crafts.

As is well known, Japan experienced a major turning point in 1868 with the Meiji Restoration, and from that time onwards, modernization progressed rapidly.

Until just over 150 years ago, the nation’s doors were closed to the West and it was ruled by sword-bearing samurai. But with the Meiji Restoration, the country’s social structure transformed dramatically.

Nowadays we’re going through further transformation due to the rise of information technologies, and major lifestyle changes are occurring not only in Japan but in countries around the world.

And yet even in the midst of these changes, there are some things that Japanese people continue to cherish. One of those is traditional crafts.

Firm in the belief that these techniques, which have been handed down for generations, must be retained in the future, many people remain devoted to them, creating countless precious objects.

In all 47 prefectures of Japan, 237 traditional crafts have been designated by the government. It is our great pleasure to explore with our readers the charm of Japan’s traditional crafts.