Kintsugi: Finding Beauty in What is Broken

Some theorize that kintsugi originated around the fifteenth century when Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the shogun at that time, broke his favorite teacup. He sent the cup to China for repair and was disheartened when it returned with unattractive metal braces. Unimpressed by the handiwork, the shogun passed the cup on to a Japanese craftsman who, in an effort to satisfy the feudal lord, filled the dish’s cracks with lacquer and dusted it with powdered gold. The shogun was thrilled with the results, and the cup was renewed—whole, unique, and beautiful.

As described above, kintsugi, which roughly translates to “golden joinery” in English, is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with either liquid gold or silver or more commonly, gold- or silver-dusted lacquer. This technique artistically enhances the breaks of a dish and creates a one-of-a-kind piece of pottery from something that otherwise would be unusable. As opposed to other repair techniques, kintsugi embraces the broken object’s “flaws” and treats them as valuable parts of its history—demonstrating the Japanese mindset of using resources to their fullest. Naturally, this unwasteful technique exemplifies sustainability as it prioritizes repairing over buying new.

KUGE CRAFTS, located in Suginami City, is a traditional crafts shop that has been practicing kintsugi for 40 years. Situated west of central Tokyo, Suginami City is a primarily residential district built upon three rivers—the Myoushouji, Zenpukuji, and Kanda Rivers. These rivers have served as a life source in the area for generations and have helped shape it into the vibrant community it is today. Towards the southeastern side of the district, visitors can enjoy the lush blessings of the Zenpukuji River at Wada Hori Park. Given its sustainable elements, it seems only appropriate that KUGE CRAFTS is located about a 10-minute walk away from this nature space.

KUGE CRAFTS is a family run business—wife and husband—and offers kintsugi repair services, kintsugi workshops, raku pottery lessons, and sake cup-making workshops. The kintsugi workshop lasts about 2.5 hours and, if applicable, allows participants to bring their own broken pottery to mend!

Yoshiko Kuge, one of KUGE CRAFTS’ owners, first became interested in kintsugi to help mend students’ broken pottery during her pottery classes. However, as she learned more about the ancient artform, its philosophies became a guide in her life. “Through kintsugi, broken items can be made stronger than before,” Kuge shared with a warm smile, “We can use the items again, even though the damage is still there. In other words, even if items are broken, they can move forward with new strength.”

In the shop’s intimate workspace, filled with shelves of kintsugi-mended pottery, the couple displays flags of participants’ home countries—Germany, Brazil, France, Armenia, the United States, Canada, Australia, and many more! “Participants often tell us that the workshop makes them happy,” Kuge said, “During the process, they can leave their thoughts behind and fix their own hearts.” With kintsugi’s essence, which reaches far beyond a simple repair technique, Kuge lives a more positive life. Even if something breaks, she sees it as an opportunity to make it better and stronger.

Given its eco-friendly and culturally immersive aspects, KUGE CRAFTS’ kintsugi workshops make for excellent sustainable travel experiences. In terms of the environment, KUGE CRAFTS only uses natural lacquer extracted from cashews and supports the reuse of broken dishes through kintsugi. The shop also plays a role in preserving kintsugi’s techniques by passing knowledge onto participants. “The culture of taking care of your belongings is important,” Yuge shared, “And I believe that we need to carry on Japan’s unique traditional culture.” At the end of the workshop, participants will be left with truly unique pottery imbued with ancient techniques and memories of their personal pasts.

Past Suginami, in Hachioji, is another traditional craft that has flourished for generations—Tama Ori. Tama Ori is an umbrella term that encompasses five different types of woven fabrics that originated in Hachioji. Thanks to its access to clean water, Hachioji blossomed into one of Japan’s leaders in sericulture (silkworm raising) and textile manufacturing. Today, Sawai Textile Factory, a company with over a century of history, still continues this legacy by integrating Tama Ori into modern day fashion apparel such as scarves, handkerchiefs, and Western clothes. The business works with multiple fashion companies and, thanks to its prolificity, has trained numerous young people in the art of Tama Ori. The Sawai Textile Factory’s ingenuity illustrates how adapting to modern times can support the continuation of ancient techniques. To connect visitors with Hachioji’s treasured craft, the Sawai Textile Factory also holds workshops where a government certified traditional artist teaches participants how to weave small items, such as drink coasters and placemats, in an atmospheric atelier.

Given their continued prevalence in modern society, both kintsugi and Tama Ori demonstrate the deep connection Tokyo’s residents still have to the past.

The Natural Art of Indigo Dyeing

Ome, located in western Tokyo, is a charming city characterized by its Showa-era vibes. In Ome Juku, the city’s central area, visitors can admire retro buildings adorned with vintage billboards. Aside from its nostalgic allure, Ome is also renowned for its aizome, or indigo dyeing. During the Edo period, Ome was one of Japan’s most prolific textile manufacturers and produced close to 50 percent of the country’s demand. The color indigo, nicknamed “Japan blue” by enamored foreigners, was commonly worn by the general public and eventually evolved into a symbol of traditional Japanese culture.

The creation of natural indigo dye takes about one year to complete and starts with the collection, drying, and fermentation of indigo plant leaves along with other natural ingredients to create a substance called sukumo. Dyers then ferment sukumo again with additional natural materials to produce aidate—natural indigo dye.

This traditional method of indigo dying supports environmental sustainability in a number of ways. First and foremost, aidate is a great eco-friendly alternative to synthetic dyes and, at the end of its lifecycle, is often recycled as fertilizer as it contains no harmful chemicals. Traditionally dyed indigo clothes also have unique health benefits and include natural antibacterial, insect-repellent, and UV-blocking properties. In terms of longevity, indigo dyed clothes do not fade as quickly as chemically dyed ones, meaning that wearers do not need to replace them as frequently.

While most indigo clothing today is dyed with synthetic dyes, Kosoen, an over 100 year-old manufacturer in Ome, prides itself on using traditional dyeing methods. “We follow the same practices that aishi (indigo farmers) used hundreds of years ago during the Edo period,” Toshiyuki Murata, the president of Kosoen, shared. By crafting mesmerizing garments the company aims to spread the beauty of indigo around the world and maintain traditional dyeing methods for future generations. In order to more intimately introduce people to this cherished craft, Kosoen holds weekend workshops where participants can dye handkerchiefs, bandanas, stoles, t-shirts, or even their own items.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic about 60 percent of Kosoen’s workshop participants were foreign tourists—with the majority of them being European and American. “People are always astounded that such a rich color can come from a plant,” Murata shared. In Kosoen’s workspace, we were equally amazed and perplexed as we watched workers submerge their arms in vats of dye without hesitation. Noticing our bewilderment, Murata reassured us with a chuckle, “The dyes are made entirely of natural ingredients and are safe. That’s why we don’t need to wear gloves!”

Today, Kosoen focuses on crafting casual, everyday clothes instead of kimono to appeal to a larger audience. “You cannot solely focus on preserving traditional cultures,” Murata explained, “You must also be innovative and create a need for those cultures.

Through its manufacturing processes and workshops, Kosoen helps protect not only Ome’s historical heritage, but also the traditional practices of indigo dyeing overall. “It is important to teach people and raise awareness about the differences between natural and artificial indigo dyeing,” Murata implored, “Otherwise, the techniques will disappear.” At Kosoen, participants leave the workshops with more than just indigo dyed fingers. They depart with the knowledge of generations past and with experiences that reflect countless of artisans before them.

Maintaining Tokyo’s Traditional Crafts for the Future

Together, kintsugi, Tama Ori, and aizome represent just a small portion of Tokyo’s traditional crafts scene. Across the prefecture, countless other industries still exist. In order to preserve these time honored traditions, Tokyo’s city governments have launched initiatives to connect Japanese and international tourists to artisans so they can learn about, support, and experience these important heritages.

"3M" Movement

Named after the Sumida River, which defines its west border, Sumida City is situated east of central Tokyo and home to the internationally renowned Tokyo Skytree—the tallest broadcasting tower in Japan. However, long before this modern marvel became a staple in the city’s skyline, Sumida thrived as a hub for traditional crafts and manufacturing. During the Meiji period, the city produced various daily goods, such as watches, shoes, bags, and soap. Today, many craftsmen and factories still call Sumida home. In 1985, Sumida City launched the “3M” Movement to promote the region’s industries and revitalize the local community. The term “3M” stands for Museum, Meister, and Manufacturing shop—three places where traditional crafts and manufacturing live on in modern day Sumida.

As an initiative founded to preserve and promote Sumida’s industries, the “3M” Movement is an excellent example of cultural sustainability in Tokyo. The initiative’s web page compiles lists of museums, craftsmen (meisters), and manufacturing shops in Sumida. Visitors then can sort the information per the business, craftsmen name, or crafts category, to further refine their search.

The “3M” Movement defines Sumida Meisters as craftsmen who produce highly valuable goods that represent Sumida and who make efforts to share those skills with others. On the movement’s web page visitors can peruse a wide range of unique artisans, including a scissors manufacturer, an embroiderer, a chopsticks-maker, and a traditional doll-maker. Each artisan’s profile has a brief description of their respective craft and includes general business information such as their address and phone number. If applicable, the profiles also contain details about workshops that the facilities hold. As a visual aid, the “3M” Movement also created a helpful map that shows where the craftsmen’s shops are located and even notes which ones offer workshop experiences. To further extend its outreach, Sumida City also created Twitter and Facebook accounts to advertise its crafts and manufacturing industries.

By compiling and organizing all this information into one place, Sumida helps people more easily connect with the area’s traditional crafts and manufacturing heritage. These initiatives help artisans better understand their crafts’ value and help people gain a greater appreciation for the culture and history associated with the techniques. With this beneficial cycle, artisans can continue to develop their craft and pass on their knowledge to future generations.

Edo Taito Traditional Crafts Center

Taito City, located on the western side of the Sumida River, is a quaint district renowned for its preserved remnants of the past. In the city’s Asakusa district, which is home to the famous Senso-ji Temple, the Edo Taito Traditional Crafts Center acts as a wonderful gateway for tourists to start their traditional crafts journey. During the Edo period, Asakusa was a bustling district for traditional performing arts, such as Kabuki and Ningyo Joruri (puppet shows) and naturally, became a hub where many craftsmen gathered to support the entertainment industries.

The Edo Taito Traditional Crafts Center reopened in March 2019 with the goal of introducing people in Japan and abroad to Taito City’s crafts. The facility displays about 250 crafts across a range of industries and occasionally holds workshops on weekends. Knowledgeable English-speaking staff are available onsite to help share information about the making and use of traditional crafts and help visitors access artisans’ workshops. During these workshops, participants have opportunities to work alongside traditional craftsmen and create memorable souvenirs. By promoting Taito’s crafts and connecting tourists with artisans, the museum helps preserve these important customs and supports cultural sustainability.

Preserving the Past for the Future

Thanks to its persevering traditional crafts, visitors can still experience generations of cultural heritage in Tokyo. Each craft tells a different story and offers insights into past habits and ideologies. As evident by the region’s numerous artisans and traditional shops, Tokyo takes pride in preserving its past customs—illustrating how cultural sustainability has long existed in the prefecture. Many traditional crafts also prioritize the use of natural ingredients, as well as other eco-friendly practices, making them environmentally sustainable as well. By fostering a culture where people support and cherish traditional crafts, Tokyo preserves its past heritages and ensures that residents and visitors alike can enjoy them for years to come.