The director of the National Crafts Museum in Kanazawa said Ishikawa Prefecture in the Hokuriku region has a rich culture and handicraft techniques unparalleled in other places in Japan.

Most residents, however, tend to have little interest in local crafts (kogei), even though they live in such a rich craft “kingdom.”

One of the reasons for this is probably that the distinguished crafts seem too traditional. Another might also come from unfamiliar technical terms.

Hokuroku has created a brief guide allowing you to learn craft terms one step at a time.

This guide should be a reference for international people working or interested in handicrafts.

I hope these casual reading materials will be helpful for locals and international travelers concerned about craft arts.

Masayoshi Sakamoto
The editor-in-Chief of Hokuroku