YAMAGATA TRADITIONAL CRAFT

Yamagata has been shaped by its abundant nature, its culture fostered in the age of shoguns and feudal leaders, and its sea trade with Japan's cultural capital, Kyoto, through trade lanes running through the Japan Sea to the west. From this history were born many traditional crafts and products specific to Yamagata, and we would like to introduce to you 69 of them here: 31 from the Murayama region, 5 from the Mogami region, 14 from the Okitama region, and 19 from the Shonai region. They can be grouped by history and production area as follows: Information about Yamagata Prefecture

  • 1.Crafts that, with their long history,
    are still being produced on a semi-large scale.

    e.g.Yamagata Metal Casting, Okitama Tsumugi,
    Yamagata Butsudan, Tendo Shogi Pieces, Uetsu Shinafu Fabric

  • 2.Crafts that, with their long history,
    are now being produced on a much smaller scale

    e.g.Miyama Japanese Paper, Hirashimizu-yaki Pottery,
    Yamagata Shikki Lacquerware, Japanese Traditional Umbrellas

  • 3.Crafts whose production has been restarted

    e.g.Kasen-dako Picture Kites, Toyokuni Japanese Sandals,
    Kaminohata-yaki Pottery, Shinjo Kameaya-ori Fabric,
    Kokyu-bori Carvings

  • 4.Crafts which are passed down
    from parent to child within a family

    e.g.Sagara Dolls, Yamagata Hariko Dolls, Shinjo Higashiyama-yaki pottery

  • 5.Crafts without a long history
    whose production areas have been reformed

    e.g.Knitting, Carpets, Tsuruoka Silk

  • 6.Crafts which have been recently revived by individuals or towns

    e.g.Peach Seed Crafts, Safflower Dyeing, Gassan Agate, Mamurogawa Shikki Lacquerware

example

CONTACT INFO

Yamagata Prefecture Commerce Promotion and Community Development Division

TEL:+81-23-630-2498

FAX:+81-23-630-3371