Celebration of Mingei - Journey Through Japan
Our Focused Dives represents stories and sub-stories based on the life and culture of the Japanese people, and it also projects our experiences forward with a mixture of history and folk lore; an examination of underlying assumption; and in some cases, projects potential change as the culture continues to evolve.
We, the authors, are solely responsible for the interpretation of information gathered through our research on the various subjects included in our Blog. As such, the contents of our writings cannot be considered the ‘be-all, end-all’ voice on the subject. Images of antique and vintage pieces are from our inventory sold in our Carmel Gallery, (1998-2009), currently listed on our mingeiarts website, or in our archives.
This tale is supposedly taking place in the city of Okayama, where one can today taste very good peaches, and especially Kibi Dango, (Peach Dumplings), and where we are told there is a mysterious cave, whose legend says it was dug...
The Spirit and Magic of Woodcraft in Japan
The Woodworker’s Companion
In Japan, nature, religion, and society are deeply intertwined. Nowhere is this more evident than in the mind of the woodworkers and lathe-turners, whose philosophical and spiritual beliefs are at the heart of their craft. Japanese Folk Art has long...
Tsuru
Japanese Mythology and Culture
Tsuru, (The Crane), has always been a strong symbol of success and good fortune in Japanese culture, and when folded into origami, it is believed that one’s “heart's desire” will come true. Tsuru no Ongaeshi The Grateful Crane/The Crane’s...
Japan and the Sea
Acquatic Life and Folk Lore in Japanese Art
The waters that surround the islands of Japan and flow from its mountain ranges to form rivers and lakes, host animal life that have sustained humans since prehistoric times. In Japan, Ocean Day, (Umi no Hi), is a holiday to give...
The fox-like Tanuki, (Japanese raccoon dog), appears often in Japanese folklore, and are real animals with a reputation for mischief and magic, known as masters of illusion. The Tanuki does have a rather malevolent past, and is said to be ...
Kaeru
Japanese Creation of Myth
Frogs have been represented for centuries in a variety of cultures as unique symbols, playing important roles in myth, folklore, fairytales, drawings, paintings, and sculptures. In Japan, the frog, (kaeru), is symbolic of fertility and good fortune, and as the...
Japan's Antique Segemono Paraphernalia
Fashionable Smoking Implements
It is not clear when tobacco was first introduced to Japan, but soon after the arrival, the custom of smoking seems to have spread quickly throughout the country. Kyoto planted tobacco seeds and inhaling smoke of its eaves became popular...
Japanese Miniatures
Tiny Goodwill Ambassadors
The Japanese have always understood “crafts” or “applied art”, particularly as related to miniature carvings and three-dimensional forms in the areas of ceramics, metalwork, textiles, woodwork, lacquer, basketry, paper, etc.). The Japanese have also valued the craftsmen as unique individuals...
The Japanese Folklore about the Rabbit and Its Relationship to the Moon According to legend, an old man who lived on the moon decided to visit Earth. A group of animals saw what they thought was an old beggar who...
Maneki Neko
The Japanese Beckoning Cat
There has been an increase recently in Japan in the number of people who have cats and their related items. It is said to be a boom for collectors of this type of craft. However, way before this recent surge,...
The Craft of the Japanese Bako
A Box Needs a Purpose
The Box Firstly, in Japan, the box carries great importance, and is treasured and not to be thrown away. Wrapping and boxing in Japan is a very serious business. The box for most artwork is a work of art in...
The Scholar’s Calligraphy Tools
Brush Pot, Brush Washer, Inkstone, and Brush
Historically, most of the Japanese scholars, who were highly educated male calligraphers, practiced the art of ink painting, an early form of brush painting that only used black ink in different concentrations to produce fine quality art work. In Japan,...
Shiwan Art Pottery
Folklore and Artistry
Being specialists in Japanese Folk Art, we have to be aware of the origins of artifacts which have grown out of other cultures, and how similar works of art intertwine as the craft matures. This article is for visual...
Kogo
Incense Containers Open the Atmospheric Paths of Creativity & Socialization
Kogo is a Buddhist tea and altar accessory, refers to a small, lidded container for incense, which is placed in the Kogo before making tea, in order to burn incense in a hearth when preparing the water for tea. Three...
Buddhist Monk Craftsmen
In Service of the Temple
Monks not only preside over the important events in a person's life but work to support the temple for which they are associated. Since the earliest times of Buddhism, the Buddhist monk has played a central role in both spiritual...
Japanese Traditional Metalwork
Artisans & Craftsmanship
Specialist craftsmen of Japan started to create their own appreciation of materials and objects, honing and perfecting the already traditions of Folk Art which were started by common people in their drive to make both functional and beautiful objects. At...
Japanese Tree Root and Bamboo Carving
Flower, Ikebana, Aesthetic Sculpture Tree
Tree Root and Bamboo carving is a traditional art in Japan, and has a long history among the Folk Art carvers and practitioners specifically focused on supporting Ikebana, displays of precious artwork, and objects that have a practical utility such...
The Japanese Farm Family
Mother, Oshin & Child
How parents raise their children is one of the main ways that culture and tradition are conveyed from generation to generation. When we generalize and say that the Japanese act a particular way, we’re talking about habits and attitudes that...
Japanese Folk Arts, Symbolism, and Society
Japanese society, and particularly women and the older population, has been represented in sculpture throughout Japanese history. Depiction of religious traditions and attitudes about all age levels of society has been a major source of visual representations of traditional beliefs,...
O-Choko
Overview of Traditional Sake Vessels
Overview of Sake Sake is a traditional alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice. Sake is a traditional alcoholic beverage in Japan. Sake is a staple food in Japan and an integral part of the Japanese lifestyle and culture. The traditional...
Lacquerwork
An Important Intangible Ancient Art
Throughout Japan, woodworkers produce beautiful lacquerware pieces, which include some of the most prized utilitarian and decorative objects coveted by the Japanese people. The Japanese are known for their carving and lacquer work, which is exceptional, and is one of...
Daruma and the Kodama Tree Spirits
Tears of the Forest
The historical Bodhidharma was an Indian sage who lived sometime in the fifth or sixth century AD. He is the undisputed founder of Zen Buddhism, and is credited with the Ch'an Buddhism introduced to China during his travels to the...
Kirigami — Origami
Japanese Paper and Art Fabrication
The Japanese art, or technique, of cutting and folding paper into objects or designs is said to have developed with the invention of Tesuki Washi paper, brought to Japan by Doncho, a Buddhist monk from Korea. In Japan there are...
Illumination of the Minka
Hands of Light
Japanese Mingei (folk art) tradition is embodied in the objects the people used to illuminate their dwellings, gardens, and public spaces. The lights are simple and elegant, and provide an important function and, which conveys a feeling of refinement. The...