Japanese Crafts
Edo Kiriko cut glass, Arita porcelain and the crafts around them, with the history behind the makers and pieces you can order from Japan.
How Japan Celebrates Christmas: Fried Chicken, Strawberry Cake, and a Day That Isn't a Holiday
In Japan, Christmas isn't a public holiday, dinner is often a bucket of KFC, and the cake is strawberry shortcake. How that happened, what December looks like from here, and what it means if you're ordering a gift from Japan.
A Japanese Christmas Gift for Your Wife, Partner or Mom: Start With How She Spends Her Evenings
Not jewelry, not a candle. Japanese gifts for a wife, partner or mother chosen by how she spends her time — hosting, drawing, writing, cooking, or just wanting to know the time — with what to check before ordering from Japan.
Edo Kiriko Gifts by Occasion (2026): What to Give for a Wedding, an Anniversary, a 60th Birthday or a Retirement
Matching Edo Kiriko cut glass by Kagami Crystal to the occasion: a pair of sake cups for a wedding, a black cup and carafe for an anniversary, a chrysanthemum-pattern glass for a 60th birthday, a rock glass for a retirement, and a small tumbler for a thank-you. The patterns' traditional associations, the box, and how to order from Japan.
A Gift for a Whiskey Lover When You Don't Know Their Favorite Bottle
You know they love whiskey; you don't know which one. A designer in Japan suggests giving the glass instead — an Edo Kiriko cut-crystal glass by Kagami Crystal — and shows how to pick one by how they drink: on the rocks, highball, or neat. Three glasses with official specs, prices checked at the shop, and what to confirm before ordering.
A Japanese Glass for the Friend Who Loves Hosting Mocktail Nights
Invited to dinner by a friend who now makes mocktails for their guests? Instead of a bottle, bring a glass. Two Kagami crystal tumblers with room for ice, soda and a garnish — a 390ml Azekura and a 300ml tumbler in a wooden box — what Kagami says about each, and what to check before ordering from Japan.
From Germany to Japan's Diplomatic Tables: The Story of Kagami Crystal
In 1927 a Japanese ceramics engineer went to Germany to learn to engrave crystal. Kozo Kagami came home, opened a studio, then a crystal factory, and his company went on to supply glassware for Japan's missions abroad. A short history from Kagami's own records and an independent obituary, the difference between engraving and kiriko cutting, and two Kagami pieces you can give today.
Arita Ware 101: The 400-Year Story of Japan's First Porcelain
Arita ware is porcelain from the Arita area of Saga Prefecture, where Japan's first porcelain was made in the 1610s. Its history, how Arita, Imari and Nabeshima relate, the main styles, what to ask before buying, and two Arita pieces you can order from Japan.
The Most Beautiful Edo Kiriko Glasses You Can Buy from Japan (2026)
Thirteen Edo Kiriko pieces by Kagami Crystal, chosen by how they'll be used: rock glasses, sake cups, a small tumbler, bowls, a vase and a set of five wine glasses. Sizes and prices from the shop, what the patterns are named after, and how to order from Japan.
What Is Edo Kiriko? Japan's Cut Glass Craft, Explained
Edo Kiriko is Tokyo's traditional cut-glass craft, dated to 1834. Its history, the traditional patterns and what they're named after, how a piece is cut, how it differs from Satsuma Kiriko, and what to look for when you buy, from the Edo Kiriko Cooperative and Kagami Crystal.
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