Craft Workshops with Artisans from Fukushima

We are delighted to partner with JASWA - the Japan America Society Women's Association - to offer two workshops conducted by artisans from Fukushima, Japan. Choose ONE of these workshops to participate in (though you may observe the other). A reception will follow both of the workshops at 6:00 pm and is open to all participants. More information about each of the traditional arts is below.

Hariko Workshop at 4pm

Akie Hashimoto was born in Fukushima Prefecture. After graduating from university, Hashimoto-san studied washi (traditional Japanese paper) production and processing at the Kyoto Traditional Crafts College. She worked as a washi artisan for six years before spending two years in Australia on a working holiday. After returning to Japan, she began creating Miharu Hariko (traditional papier-mâché crafts) at Hashimoto Koji Mingei, a family-run workshop. In 2018, she conceptualized and created the "Hariko Hanging Hina Dolls," which are exhibited every spring. In addition to the traditional Miharu Hariko style, also creates innovative pieces incorporating dots, pastel colors, and modern designs.

Participants will paint their own original designs on small daruma dolls made of washi paper.

Urushi Workshop at 5pm

Ayako Hirai is an urushi (lacquerware) artisan and kintsugi specialist. Hirai-san was born in Fukushima Prefecture and graduated from the Tohoku University of Art & Design, specializing in lacquer arts and cultural heritage. She has worked at an antique furniture restoration workshop and in 2016, became an independent artisan.

Participants will polish layered lacquer to create a raden (mother-of-pearl inlay) brooch.

All materials for the workshops are included.

ABOUT THE ARTS

HARIKO

Hariko is a simple, traditional toy that has been cherished across Japan for centuries. It is made by layering thick pieces of washi paper over a wooden mold, which is then removed once the paper dries, creating a hollow figure or mask. These hariko figures can be painted in vibrant colors and crafted into various shapes.

Fukushima Prefecture is home to many unique hariko, such as the Akabeko and Okiagari Koboshi from Aizuwakamatsu City, and the Shirakawa Daruma from Shirakawa City. In the local Fukushima dialect, hariko is referred to as "deko." In Takashiba, Nishida-machi, Koriyama City, there is a place called Takashiba Deko Yashiki, where many artisans live and continue the handmade tradition of hariko. Visitors can observe these craftsmen at work and witness the creation process up close.

URUSHI

The use of lacquer (urishi) in Fukushima Prefecture dates back to the Jomon period. People collected sap from lacquer trees, filtered it through woven cloth to remove impurities, and mixed it with red or black pigments before applying it to objects such as vessels.

Artifacts excavated from Jomon-era sites reveal that lacquer was used in almost the same way thousands of years ago as it is today. In Aizu, Fukushima, lacquer has been utilized throughout various historical periods. By the Edo period (17th century), the protection and cultivation of lacquer trees, as well as the establishment of a structured system for artisans, enabled the production of lacquerware as an industry.

At the same time, candles made from lacquer tree seeds became one of Aizu’s major products. Since the Meiji era, Aizu has flourished as a center of lacquerware production. Even today, many artisans continue to preserve this tradition while also exploring new forms of artistic expression.