Creative Social Media Site Behance Promotes Traditional Japanese Culture in New Project

29.June.2022 | FASHION

Behance, the world’s largest creative social media network, has started a new project to promote Japanese traditional culture and arts and crafts to the world. Works on Behance will be transformed into NFTs, with the goal to establish a new way for traditional craftsmen to profit from their work.

 

Japan’s traditional arts and crafts are well-known by many around the world. On the other hand, challenges still remain as many regions’ traditional manufacturing industries are digitized. Sharing more detailed information about these crafts with overseas markets has also been difficult.

 

According to the “Survey on the Revitalization of Local Traditional Manufacturing Industries” published by the Development Bank of Japan in 2018, Japan’s traditional arts and crafts industry peaked around 1980. Due to the recession caused by the burst of the bubble economy, the rise of inexpensive foreign products, and changes in lifestyle, the amount of production has been declining year by year. Compared with the peak period, current production has dropped to one-fifth or about 100 billion yen. The workers involved in traditional crafts are also aging, making it difficult to pass on their skills to younger creators.

 

On Behance, users can not only get inspiration from other people’s work but can also publish their own works and receive helpful feedback and comments. Marketing professionals also use Behance to find creators for campaigns and collaborations, and previously, a Japanese creator who had uploaded his work to the social media site was asked to illustrate the cover of the New York Times. 

This project is designed to promote traditional Japanese arts and crafts in the hopes of supporting their continued development in the face of many difficult conditions.

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    (c)武内直子・PNP/劇場版「美少女戦士セーラームーンEternal」製作委員会

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    Last month, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu performed on the Gobi Stage at Coachella, one of the largest music festivals in the United States. The singer has now returned to Japan for the second half of her ‘Kyary Pamyu Pamyu 10th ANNIVERSARY JAPAN TOUR 2022 CANDY WAVE,’ seeing the singer performing 30 shows across Japan. The tour will conclude with a solo performance at Budokan in October. 

     

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    Ukiyo-e Woodblock Print Production

     

    Engraving by Craftsman

    Printing by Craftsman

     

    First, a sketch is made, and a monochrome version of the print is carved. After carving a number of woodblocks for each color and using them to rub the painting tirelessly to bring it to life, one single woodblock print is completed. 

     

     

     

     

    The extremely delicate and advanced techniques these craftsmen utilize have been passed down from the Edo period. Imagine having one of these beautiful pieces hanging in your home!

     

  • Tokyo Handicrafts Craft Fair Exhibition at Matasuzakaya Ueno to Feature Panda Etched Edo Cut Glass

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    Panda Cut Glass Special Edition – Bamboo Version (Light Pink x Green)

                      

    Before Adding Alcohol

    After Adding Alcohol

     

    Panda Cut Glass – Lapis Lazuli Version (Light Blue x Lapis Lazuli)
                 

         

    Before Adding Alcohol

    After Adding Alcohol

    Panda Cut Glass – Yellow Version (Yellow x Bronze-red)
                       

    Before Adding Alcohol

    After Adding Alcohol

     

    Edo-Kiriko gets its name due to it originating in Edo (modern-day Tokyo). Every detail is cut into the glass by hand to create stunning designs. The way the glass sparkles changes depending on the light, which is a sight to behold. In the latter part of the Edo period, the cut-glass method of engraving designs onto the surface of the glass was brought over to Nagasaki from the Netherlands, and kiriko was born as a result of trying to mimic those techniques. Shiina Yasutane is a third-generation craftsman specializing in ‘sandblasting, who can reliably draw lines as fine as 0.09 mm wide.

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