Nature-inspired Kaga yuzen silk dyeing. Boldly-glazed Kutani porcelain. Advantageous layers of gold leaf. Hand-carved Buddhist statues. And the lustrous floor depth of Wajima-nuri lacquerware. For hundreds of years, Ishikawa Prefecture, in western Japan, has thrived as a deeply revered treasure trove of among the nation’s best examples of conventional craftsmanship. The area, which scenically hugs the shoreline of the Sea of Japan, is residence to a wealthy panorama of generations-old manufacturing hubs specialising in a spectrum of artisan expressions, from ceramics and woodwork to textiles.
Now, nonetheless, Ishikawa is within the highlight for a special purpose: it was the area hit hardest by the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that shook Japan on New 12 months’s Day 2024. Because the mud begins to decide on the devastation – a dying toll topping 221, with 22 nonetheless lacking, plus greater than 20,000 nonetheless in evacuation centres – the imprint of the catastrophe on Japan’s treasured craft heritage is sharply coming into focus.
Supply: Wallpaper