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Discover our Authentic Artisans

STORY

Did you know there are many artisans who create amazing crafts in the Asakusa area?

“Attention to the materials,
to particular techniques,
for items we use in our daily lives”

Asakusa’s artisans have been creating items
which make everyday life more cherishbale.
They value the relationships with people
through treasured items,
improving their techniques to create these items.
Asakusa artisanship is an ingenuity enabling
the use of things for a long time,
and the use of natural materials.
It is something that makes sense,
is not wasteful, and is a fun and stylish
addition to daily life.
It has always been in their life in Asakusa,
at the festivals, and in everyday life.
Connections between items, the people, and the town.
When you understand that artisan culture in Asakusa is rooted in “Edo
Shitamachi” culture [“Edo” being the old name for Tokyo, and “Shitamachi”,
meaning “lower city”, being the name used at that time to describe the
greater-Asakusa area, known as a center of mercantilism and craftsmanship] ,
Asakusa can be appreciated more profoundly.
GATE LOGO

Asakusa The Gate is the entrance for your journey
to discover artisan culture in the Asakusa area.

Artisans making each item by hand.
Friendly competition and influence between artisans; that’s what you see in Asakusa.
Watch and feel how people live in Asakusa.
Learning about the unknown, The gate will open.
Introducing our artisans, a path toward discovering Asakusa.

ARTISANS

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Tenugui
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A Paulownia Kimekomi box
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Sensu
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Traditional Japanese Footwear
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Tatami
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Silverware
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Woodcarving
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Kiriko
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Knife
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Stamp

Tenugui

“Things in your daily life”

Tenugui in Kanji characters refers to hand wiping.
The origin of Tenugui is for wiping one’s hands dry after washing them.

Fujiya

てぬぐい

A Paulownia Kimekomi box

“Keep your special fabric forever”

We have unique products.
A Paulownia Kimekomi box becomes a one-of-a-kind item for each customer.
You can even bring a special memorable fabric to make the box. We can use the fabric for your one-of-a-kind special box.

Hakocho

桐箱

Sensu

“The Beauty of Folds”

The most common use of a Sensu fan is to make a breeze when it is a hot day. Sensu fans are also used for Nihon Buyo (classical Japanese dance), Rakugo (comical storytelling), Ozashiki (Geisha banquets), and tea ceremony. The most common size of a Sensu fan is 22.7 centimeters (9 inches) in length for men and 19.7 centimeters (7.7 inches) for women.

Bunsendo

扇子

Traditional Japanese Footwear

“Not only for Kimono”

Geta sandals used to be common footwear for Japanese people until around 70 or 80 years ago. When Geta sandals were worn daily, many different types of wood were used, such as cedar and pine. Paulownia wood has been considered a special wood for the Japanese because of its beautiful light color, grain, light weight, and easy workability.

Tsujiya Honten

草履

Tatami

“Handmade tatami lasts a long time”

The history of tatami goes back to the 8th century. First, people started to make straw woven mats to reuse straw after harvesting rice. The original tatami was a layered-straw woven mat, wrapped around with Igusa plant (Juncus decipiens).

Kanai Tatami Ten

Silverware

“A craft with a connection to daily life”

We create silverware with 99.9% pure silver. Japan used to produce ⅓ of the world’s silver. Silver was carried on the river to Edo. Our silverware has very high-grade silver. Silverware shines more if there is less impurity.

Nisshin-Kikinzoku

銀器

Woodcarving

“Carve out a story from the drawing”

“Woodcarving” means creating Buddhist statues and shrine decorations from wood by hand. From design to carving, every step of the process is completed by hand.
Each item is a one-of-a-kind piece.

Sosyu

木彫刻

Kiriko

“Beautiful to see and
Beautiful to use”

Kiriko means European cut glass.
Kiriko is the cut glass itself and the name of the technique, too. Basically, Kiriko was an imported concept and was introduced in Japan around the end of the Edo period.

Sokichi

切子

Knife

“Opposed to mass production”

The most important thing is to pass on the techniques from the previous generation. My father was against mass production. We make each and every one of our knives to please our customers, and that is what we value the most.

Honke Kaneso

包丁

Stamp

“Return it to nature after use”

During the Edo period, seal stamps became used by common people.
I heard that willow wood was used to make seal stamps at first. It’s very important to rethink the usage of natural wood more.

Ito Inbou

印章