Takumi-no-sato (Artisan Village)
Workshop Information
Here is the contact information necessary for making reservations
for all the workshops you want to participate in. TEL: 0278-64-2211
March,
Mokko-no-ie or The Woodwork House
You can make a bookstand and other woodwork
here. You’ll be making a bookstand or a letter
rack by using pure wood, hammers, and nails.
Woodworks made by Japanese cedars and
zelkova trees are showcased and sold here as
well.
The Bamboo House
You can experience bamboo craft arts here. Also
showcased and sold here are small toys, flower
bases, and baskets.
The Straw House
You’ll be making straw sandals and other straw
footwear. Sacred straw ropes called
“shimenawa”, snow shoes, and other straw craft
art are displayed for sale.
The Pottery House
You’ll be making cups and other pottery works
without using potter’s wheel and other tools.
Cups, vases, and plates are showcased for sale.
2011
The Washi House
You can experience traditional papermaking here.
You’ll use materials, both natural and artificial, to
make washi papers. Various washi papers and
artwork made by washi are showcased for sale.
The Kiori House
Fiber of beech, Japanese cypress, and Yakusugi
or ancient cedar trees are woven with silk to make
bags, wallets, and carpets. Fibers are also made
into paper products like postcards, name cards,
and book covers. They are showcased for sale.
Kiori is a woven technology in which you slice
natural wood thinly to soak in a special softener
and then cut up into thin fibers. Then, you use
the Japanese traditional woven technique called
hikihaku-ori to make cloth with these fibers and
manufactured silk.
The Mask House
Here you are free to use the colors of your
choosing to paint a variety of masks, from popular
cartoon characters to traditional masks. In
ancient times, masks were used as charms to
protect against evil things. Today, they are used
in performance of Noh, a kind of Japanese
traditional play, or children’s toys.
The Cloisonne House
Easy, tidy, and speedy are the slogans of DIY
cloisonné work. Broaches, pendants, rings, cuff
links, and key chains: you name it, they’ll teach
you how to make it. These and other enamel
ornaments are displayed for sale here.
Cloisonné refers to the Seven Treasures (gold,
silver, lapis lazuli, coral, pearl, giant clam, and
agate) and is used to describe the beauty of
cloisonné.
The Matchbox Art House
Pictures are drawn on canvases made of
matchboxes covered with washi or Japanese
paper, which are showcased for sale. Visitors
can enjoy painting small pictures on white
matchbox, which come with a frame that is also
made of matchboxes.
The Bell House
Here, you can paint unglazed clay bells. The
bells also serve as good luck charms for
schoolwork and for a happy family life. Small
and cute, you can make your one and only happy
bell. Unglazed clay bells of all colors and shapes
are also showcased for sale.
The Pressed Flower House
You can learn how to make pressed flowers
without them losing their natural colors. Why not
try making seasonal cards and other small items
using the flowers that bloom in the fields of
Takumi-no-sato?
Colored papers, fans, and other small articles
decorated by pressed flowers are showcased for
sale.
The Glass House
Patterns are imprinted on the surface of the glass
with brown emery. Here, you can make your own
pattern on the beautiful glasswork of your choice.
The Doll House
Here, you can learn how to make country and
Japanese dolls with hand-sewn costumes using
scraps of cloth. Miniature Japanese dresses as
well as European costumes with fairy-tale motifs
are showcased for sale.
The Rock Painting House
The Rock Painting House offers a workshop for
rock painting. Animals and different daruma
dolls are painted on the rocks by the artists, and
they are being sold inside of the House.
The painted rocks are used as a decoration or a
paper weight. Rock painting has a profound
history and appreciated in many countries such
as China and Australia. You will never find
exact the same piece of rock painting because
every rock shapes differently and the painting is
very original.
The Dried Flower House
Here you can enjoy creating a dried flower
arrangement with the flowers and plants grown
in the facility.
Also, they sell and display wreaths and wall
decorations made with the dried flower. There
are many ways to dry flowers but the major ones
are by using microwave or a chemical called
Silica Gel.
The Agricultural Workshop
Here you can try making soba noodles, udon
noodles, apple pies and pickles all with
locally grown products. You’ll get to eat
them after they’re cooked.
The Fureai House
The Fureai House has a workshop where
you can experience making soba noodles
using locally grown pure buckwheat flour.
You can participate in planting potatoes and
rice as well.
You can harvest corn in summer and rice in
fall, respectively.
The Chirimen Crepe House
At the Chirimen Crepe House, people enjoy
learning to make crafts with chirimen crepe
which is a thin Kimono material.
Dolls and decorations made with chirimen
have been cherished for centuries.
Reservations: (0278)-64-2211
(Sorry, only Japanese is spoken.)