Since the 1950s, the Japanese government has sought to preserve traditional craft techniques by appointing special outstanding artisans as 'Kogei'

These artisans are obliged to pass on their skills to posterity, and their efforts are supported financially by the state.

A 'Kogei' must meet five requirements to be recognized:

• The craft must be made for everyday use
• The most important parts of the manufacturing process must be handmade
• The craft must be created using traditional techniques
• Raw materials must be used that are extracted and then used in a traditional way
• The craft must be made in a specific region of Japan where the craft is traditionally associated

This means that in Japan there are a number of very skilled artisans/craftsmen who, based on the Japanese craft traditions, create beautiful and functional products of exceptionally high quality.

We have selected a number of these unique products and offer them exclusively here in the webshop.