What is Craft? Deep Dive into its Appeal and Value | From History to Present

Craft is a field of “making” fusing technique and beauty, a traditional culture where skills and handwork cultivated through long history shine. Spanning pottery, woodworking, textiles, metalwork and more, it combines aspects of practical items close to daily life with artistic value.

While times change, craft evolves while preserving its techniques and aesthetic sense, now incorporating new designs and uses. This article deeply explores craft’s appeal and value, clearly explaining from history to modern developments. Let’s explore this profound world while feeling the warmth and unique beauty created by traditional crafts.

What is Craft? Explaining Basic Meaning and Importance

Craft is a field of making pursuing beauty while remaining practical through handwork. Developed through artisan techniques and sensibilities since ancient times, craft produces items essential to our daily lives, playing a role in conveying culture and regional history to present.

Here we explain craft’s basic definition and background, differences from “fine art,” and value brought to daily life.

What is Craft? Its Appeal and Regional Characteristics

Craft refers to practical items and decorative pieces made primarily through handwork utilizing material characteristics. Representative examples include pottery, woodworking, textiles, metalwork, and glasswork.

Modern craft particularly features:

Fusion of Materials and Technique

Craft items form through artisan techniques using natural materials (clay, wood, metal, cloth, etc.). Their appeal lies in beauty created through handwork understanding material characteristics.

Deep Connection with Daily Life

Craft emphasizes practicality as vessels, furniture, and decorative items used in daily life while incorporating artistic design.

Regional Cultural Expression

Reflecting regional climate and traditions characterizes craft. For example, works embody local culture like Seto ware (Aichi Prefecture) and Ryukyu glass (Okinawa Prefecture).

What’s the Difference Between “Craft” and “Fine Art”?

While both “craft” and “fine art” contain artistic elements, they differ in purpose and value placement. Here are their differences:

Fine art pursues “freedom of expression,” valued for work appreciation. Meanwhile, craft emphasizes harmony between “practicality” and “beauty,” aiming to enrich users’ lives. This difference highlights the appeal of both fine art and craft.

Value Craft Brings to Daily Life

Craft items bring practicality and artistry to daily life, colorfully enriching our living. Their value lies in these points:

Joy of Use and Attachment

Handmade craft items have different individual characteristics, developing attachment through use. Daily craft items like tea bowls, teacups, and wooden furniture blend into daily life while giving users special feeling.

Adding Beauty to Living

Decorative items, vessels, and glasswork add beautiful designs and warmth to daily life, creating comfortable spaces. Even display as interior decoration adds color to life.

Experiencing Culture and History

Craft items embody regional traditions and artisan techniques. Using craft items in daily life creates opportunities to experience culture and history, adding depth to life.

Sustainable Value

Many craft items excel in durability for long-term use. Contributing to sustainable living through repair and continued use rather than disposal.

Craft items aren’t mere tools or decorations but entities fulfilling users’ hearts and raising quality of life. Incorporating craft items into daily life while feeling handmade warmth and unique beauty can bring new discoveries and richness.

Definition and History of Craft

Craft is making combining “practicality” and “beauty” produced primarily through manual techniques. Its long history closely connects with people’s lives while evolving with times. Japan developed unique craft culture, while various cultural spheres worldwide developed distinctive craft techniques.

Here we explain craft’s origins through development, historical position in Japan, and comparison with overseas craft cultures.

Origins and Development Process of Craft

Craft’s origins trace to the Paleolithic period when humans began making tools for living. Then, people created necessary tools and vessels from materials like stone and wood for hunting and gathering.

Later, in ancient civilizations, pottery, metalware, and textiles developed in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China, pursuing decorative beauty beyond practicality.

In medieval Europe, guilds formed in cities like Paris and Nuremberg, developing advanced techniques through specialist craftsmen. Particularly, Nuremberg metalwork and Florence textiles were known for intricacy.

Entering modern era, traditional handcraft value gained reevaluation alongside mass production advancement after Industrial Revolution. In late 19th century, British poet and designer William Morris (1834-1896) led Arts and Crafts Movement. This movement aimed for traditional handwork revival and life-art fusion reacting against Industrial Revolution mass production, influencing worldwide.

Thus, craft evolved from practical items supporting life to items with artistic value, inherited while adding new value.

Historical Position of Craft in Japan

Japanese craft has developed alongside each era’s culture and lifestyle since the Jomon period. It characteristically cultivated unique techniques and aesthetic sense while utilizing regional climate and materials.

First, from Jomon through Yayoi periods, Jomon and Yayoi pottery featured designs fusing vessel function with decoration. Next, Asuka through Nara periods saw Buddhist implements, metalwork, and textiles develop alongside Buddhism’s arrival, these craft items greatly influencing techniques and designs.

The following Heian period saw court culture flourish, developing lacquerware, mother-of-pearl work, and Japanese paper. This era produced many decorative crafts. Then, Kamakura through Muromachi periods saw warrior culture’s rise reflect wabi-sabi aesthetics influenced by tea ceremony and Zen in crafts, greatly developing pottery and metalwork.

Entering Edo period, many craft items like ceramics, textiles, and woodwork actively produced in various regions spread among common people. Many famous traditional crafts still known today like Arita ware, Edo Kiriko cut glass, and Kyo Yuzen established this era.

After Meiji period, while receiving Western cultural influence, craft items developed as exports while preserving traditional techniques. During this period, Japan’s unique techniques and designs gained high international evaluation, receiving worldwide recognition.

In modern Japan, traditional crafts receive national and regional protection and support, with artisans creating works incorporating new designs and uses while inheriting techniques. Thus Japanese craft connects its beauty and techniques to present while changing with each era.

Comparison of World Craft Cultures and Japanese Traditional Crafts

Craft cultures worldwide reflect respective climates and cultures, achieving unique developments. For example, China developed celadon and white porcelain ceramics, particularly Jingdezhen known as worldwide brand. These ceramics feature intricate, luxurious decoration.

Middle East and Islamic regions developed metalwork, glasswork, and decorative tiles, characterized by geometric patterns and vivid colors. For example, Persian decorative tiles and Isfahan glasswork reflect Islamic cultural aesthetics.

European fine craft developed among noble culture from medieval through modern times. Representative examples include refined techniques and decoration by region, like Germany’s Meissen and France’s Sèvres.

In the Americas, indigenous peoples built craft cultures rooted in life, creating textiles, woodwork, and pottery. Modern America has established craft culture, reevaluating handwork appeal.

Japanese craft culture distinctively values harmony with nature and unique aesthetics like “wabi-sabi” unlike overseas crafts. For example, pottery utilizing material textures and designs with simple yet deep flavor express uniquely Japanese beauty.

Contrastingly, overseas craft cultures often emphasize decoration and functional beauty, with different cultures and techniques rooted by region. Thus, while craft represents universal culture, it evolved differently in each region. Japanese craft continues being loved worldwide, highly valued for its delicate techniques and aesthetics.

Types and Characteristics of Craft

Craft includes various types by materials and techniques, each with unique appeal and history. Let’s explore this broad world from basic fields like pottery, woodwork, and metalwork through traditional techniques like textiles, lacquerwork, and bamboo craft to new approaches in contemporary craft.

Appeal and Characteristics of Pottery, Woodwork, and Metalwork: Exploring Japanese Traditional Crafts

Representative craft fields like pottery, woodwork, and metalwork have enriched people’s lives while utilizing material characteristics. Let’s examine each field in detail.

Pottery

Pottery completes through shaping clay and high-temperature firing. Its appeal lies in clay’s warmth and natural texture, with accidental colors (kiln effects) from wood ash during firing also characteristic.

Ranging from daily vessels to artistic works, representative examples include Shigaraki ware (Shiga Prefecture), Arita ware (Saga Prefecture), Bizen ware (Okayama Prefecture), and Kutani ware (Ishikawa Prefecture). Each pottery interestingly reflects regional climate and culture.

Woodwork

Woodwork involves processing wood to create furniture, vessels, and crafts. Characterized by beautiful grain and warmth, it allows enjoying aging through use while utilizing natural texture.

Representative techniques and products include sashimono’s delicate nailless assembly technique, beautiful curved bentwood containers using Akita cedar, and Hokkaido’s regional craft of carved wooden bears. Particularly, carved bears combine practicality and decoration, fusing regional culture with craftsmanship.

Metalwork

Metalwork creates decorative items, daily items, and crafts by processing metal, using techniques like metal carving, forging, and casting. Metalwork’s appeal lies in intricate patterns and powerful sculptural beauty plus excellent durability.

Representative examples include Nambu Ironware known as traditional iron vessels, highly artistic Japanese swords, and precisely crafted silverwork and Buddhist implements. These works deeply connect with Japanese traditional culture, embodying techniques and aesthetics cultivated through long history.

Appeal and Techniques of Textiles, Lacquerwork, and Bamboo Craft: Exploring Japanese Traditional Beauty

Among Japanese traditional crafts, textiles, lacquerwork, and bamboo craft boast high technical skill and beauty, passed down across generations. Here we explain their characteristics and appeal in detail.

Textiles

Textiles developed mainly as kimono and obi through dyeing and weaving techniques. Representative techniques include Yuzen dyeing (Kyo Yuzen/Kaga Yuzen) featuring vivid colors and delicate patterns, Okinawa’s traditional dyeing technique Bingata, and Kasuri weaving creating patterns through partially dyed threads. These works express handwork warmth and Japanese aesthetics.

Lacquerwork

Lacquerwork applies multiple lacquer layers with decoration, long loved for vessels, furniture, and decorative items. Representative techniques include maki-e drawing patterns with gold/silver powder, raden inlaying shells for luster, and chinkin carving lacquer surfaces and embedding gold powder. Particularly famous are Ishikawa’s Wajima-nuri and Aomori’s Tsugaru-nuri, characterized by glossy beauty and high durability.

Bamboo Craft

Bamboo craft creates baskets, tea ceremony implements, and decorative items by weaving or bending bamboo. Techniques include bamboo wickerwork splitting bamboo finely for weaving, and rattan weaving creating patterns by combining bamboo and rattan. Bamboo’s flexibility and strength produce works with simple, functional beauty.

These crafts inherit across generations through artisans’ excellent techniques and aesthetics while maximizing material characteristics. Textile, lacquerwork, and bamboo craft pieces highly value both daily practical items and artworks.

Regional Cultural Impact and Role of Craft

Craft has developed deeply connected with regional nature, culture, and history. Traditional craft items express regional identity and support tourism and economy.

Here we explain the role of regionally rooted traditional crafts, craft’s influence on tourism and exchange, and connections with regional economy.

Role and Appeal of Traditional Crafts Reflecting Regional Culture

Traditional crafts symbolically represent each region’s culture and history. Craft items created using artisans’ advanced techniques, aesthetics, and local natural resources continue conveying unique regional value to present.

First, regarding cultural inheritance and development, traditional crafts preserve region-specific materials and techniques while evolving with times. For example, Shiga’s Shigaraki ware, characterized by rustic clay texture and natural colors from climbing kilns, now produces simple designs suited to modern life.

Additionally, Ishikawa’s Wajima-nuri, known for durable coating and beautiful lacquer luster, maintains value through over 100 processes.

Next, as regional symbols, craft items express regional character reflecting climate and culture. For example, Saga’s Arita ware, Japan’s first porcelain, charms with white porcelain beauty and delicate painting.

Meanwhile, Okinawa’s Ryukyu glass, born from recycled glass, features vivid colors suggesting tropical seas and unique texture with bubbles. These craft items serve as regional cultural symbols reflecting natural environment and historical background.

Thus, traditional crafts embody regional history, culture, and techniques, playing important roles passing their value to next generations. Handling each region’s craft items enables touching regional climate and artisan spirit, deepening understanding of regional culture.

Tourism Resources and People’s Exchange Created by Regional Crafts

Traditional craft plays major roles as tourism resources, creating valuable exchange opportunities connecting regions and people. Particularly, workshop and kiln visits provide excellent opportunities to directly experience craft appeal.

Workshops and kilns nationwide increasingly offer opportunities to observe artisans working and experience crafts like pottery and dyeing. For example, in Ishikawa’s Wajima, visitors can observe lacquerware production processes, gaining valuable experience with traditional techniques.

Additionally, craft items importantly promote regions. Popular as souvenirs, they widely communicate regional appeal and culture. For example, Fukushima’s Aizu lacquerware features durable, beautiful lacquer coating, while Kyoto’s Kyo Yuzen receives high evaluation from domestic and international tourists for vivid dyeing techniques. These craft items represent regional pride with high tourism resource value.

Furthermore, craft exhibitions and craft fairs provide venues for direct artisan-consumer interaction, occasioning regional cultural and technical spread. For example, craft events nationwide introduce local artisan works, activating exchange with visitors from outside regions. Such initiatives connect to overall regional economic and cultural development.

Thus, craft-centered tourism and experiences play important roles not only enjoying culture but inheriting regional history and techniques to next generations and connecting regions with people.

Craft Has Various “Values” Beyond Artistry

Craft represents a “making” world combining daily life practicality with artistic beauty like artwork. Unique pieces created through artisan technique and sensibility enrich users’ hearts, bringing special color to life. Here we explain craft’s value from three perspectives: “practicality and artistry,” “craftsmanship,” and “heart enrichment.”

Craft’s Appeal Combines Practicality and Artistry

Craft items characteristically combine practicality as tools used in daily life with artistic beauty. For example, tea bowls, teacups, furniture, and clothing are essential to daily life – pottery vessels enhance food presentation, while woodwork and bamboo craft enrich living spaces with warm texture.

Furthermore, artisan-made craft items contain dedication to beauty beyond functionality. Aesthetic sense reflects in details like painting, glazes, and weaving patterns, enabling “appreciation enjoyment” through daily use.

For example, Arita ware’s refined white porcelain and Kyo Yuzen’s vivid dyeing receive high evaluation as both practical items and artworks. Thus, craft items appeal through dual enjoyment of “using” and “viewing.”

Unique Craft Items Created Through Craftsmanship

Craft items, created through artisan skilled techniques and detailed handwork, hold “one-of-a-kind” value impossible through machine production.

Artisans deeply understand material characteristics, creating works through years or decades of technical refinement. For example, pottery involves clay handling and firing techniques, while textiles involve hand-weaving and dyeing techniques.

Artisan handwork embodies individuality and sensibility, creating “unique pieces” with subtly different expressions even in same designs. This creates handwork warmth, making special pieces for users.

Additionally, while craft techniques inherit through long history, they continue evolving, incorporating new materials and designs. For example, Japanese traditional kintsugi technique repairs broken pottery with lacquer, applying gold powder to joints, using repair areas as new beauty. This technique reflects unique Japanese aesthetics seeing “chips and breaks as beautiful.”

Furthermore, Wajima-nuri from Ishikawa Prefecture uses “maki-e” technique applying gold/silver powder decoration to lacquerware, its delicate and magnificent finish uniquely achievable through handwork.

Thus, craft items contain artisan technique and sensibility, holding “one-of-a-kind” appeal born through handwork. Craft items evolving with times while preserving tradition provide special value to our modern lives.

Modern Development of Craft

Craft evolves with times, showing new developments matching modern lifestyles and social needs. While preserving traditional techniques, works fusing with modern design and sustainable initiatives gain attention, earning high evaluation in overseas markets.

Here we explain modern craft developments.

Fusion of Modern Design and Traditional Craft

While traditional craft characteristically features techniques and aesthetics cultivated through long history, it evolves in modern times through fusion with new designs and ideas. Here are specific examples:

Fusion with Daily-Use Designs

While traditional craft items often used in special occasions, incorporating modern design increases daily-use items. For example, simple, modern design vessels and furniture harmonize with Western-style interiors.

Combination with Different Materials

Combining different materials like glass, metal, and plastic creates new expressions in traditional craft. Examples include bags using Nishijin textile fabrics and modern vases combining pottery and wood.

Collaboration with Designers

Collaboration between modern designers/artists and traditional craft artisans creates new works incorporating tradition while matching modern sensibilities. Particularly in interior and fashion industries, items incorporating traditional craft attract attention.

Thus, fusion of modern design and traditional craft creates new value, playing important roles conveying craft appeal to next generations.

Attention to Sustainable Craft Items

“Sustainability” becomes important theme in modern society, with attention gathering to eco-friendly materials and techniques in craft field.

Natural Material Use

Craft items utilizing natural materials like bamboo, wood, and clay gain reevaluation for low environmental impact. For example, bamboo craft attracts attention as sustainable material for flexible, durable characteristics.

Recycling and Regeneration

Sustainable traditional techniques like kintsugi repairing broken pottery and sakiori weaving reusing old cloth remain utilized today. Works reusing waste materials and glass bottles also increase.

Long-lasting “Making”

Craft items feature sustainability through high durability and careful creation for long-term use. Culture of continuing careful use through repair and maintenance attracts attention as environmentally conscious lifestyle.

Sustainable craft items increasingly hold important value in modern society with rising environmental consciousness.

Overseas Market Demand Expansion Also Raises Craft Value

Japanese traditional craft items receive high evaluation in overseas markets for excellent techniques and beauty, with expanding demand. This background includes:

High Quality and Technique

Japanese craft items support through skilled artisan techniques and strict quality control. For example, Arita ware and Nishijin weaving receive high evaluation in overseas luxury markets for precise creation and beautiful designs.

Japanese Aesthetics and Minimalism

Unique Japanese aesthetics symbolized by “wabi-sabi” and simple, functional designs harmonize with overseas interior and lifestyle trends, gaining much support.

Conclusion

Craft is culture coloring daily life richly, fusing traditional techniques with handwork warmth. Its appeal lies in works combining beauty and practicality deeply rooted in our lives.

Craft items develop character through use, deepening attachment over time. Incorporating craft items into daily life can bring rich feelings and special moments. Please try experiencing the craft world and fully enjoying its appeal.