Japan’s traditional crafts are highly valued worldwide for their exquisite techniques and aesthetic sensibilities. In recent years, the expansion of cross-border e-commerce has created opportunities to deliver products directly to overseas customers, not just domestically, presenting significant opportunities for craft regions and individual artisans.
However, to achieve success in overseas markets, it’s essential to understand how to select target countries, understand the characteristics of sales platforms, and devise strategies for product page presentation and information dissemination. This article provides a comprehensive explanation of the steps for delivering traditional crafts to the world through cross-border EC, from market selection to product page creation tips.
Table of Contents
What is Cross-Border EC × Traditional Crafts?
The combination with traditional crafts has gained attention as a new sales channel development strategy amid shrinking domestic demand and declining population.
Japanese crafts are highly valued for their “artisan skills,” “longevity,” and “uniqueness,” with demand particularly expanding in affluent markets in Europe, America, and Asia.
Making crafts that were previously only accessible through tourism or exhibitions available online represents a significant opportunity for business operators and a new way for collectors and enthusiasts to encounter them more readily.
Value and Opportunities of Engagement (Overall Market and Demand Overview)
The global cross-border EC market continues to expand annually, with crafts and high-value-added products showing strong demand in the “gifts,” “interior,” and “collection” categories.
While relying solely on the domestic market often leads to being caught in price competition, overseas markets tend to appreciate “tradition,” “cultural background,” and “artisanship” as stories, allowing for proper reflection of added value in pricing.
Particularly in North America and Europe, interest in Japanese food culture and Japanese art is high, with tableware, tea ceremony utensils, and lacquerware gaining popularity.
In emerging Asian markets, there’s a growing tendency among young affluent consumers to seek “authentic Japanese-made” products, suggesting significant room for growth.
Online sales offer sufficient value for challenge as they provide cross-border business opportunities while keeping initial investment low.
Characteristics of Products That Resonate Overseas (Categories, Price Ranges, Set Proposals)
Traditional crafts that are easily appreciated in overseas markets have distinct characteristics.
First, in terms of categories, “crafts that are easy to incorporate into daily life” such as ceramics, lacquerware, blades, and textiles are popular.
The mid-price range of approximately $50-200 is most easily purchased and corresponds well to gift demand.
On the other hand, items with artisan signatures or limited editions have demand even at $500 or more, appealing to collector segments.
Furthermore, rather than just selling individual items, set proposals like “tea bowl + chopstick rest + cloth” can stimulate purchasing desire by providing a comprehensive cultural experience.
By adding stories to packaging and descriptions, products transform from mere objects to “experiences of taking culture home,” leading to improved brand value.
Differences Between B2C and B2B (Wholesale) and How to Use Them
Cross-border EC comes in two forms: B2C, which sells directly to general consumers, and B2B, which wholesales to overseas retail stores and buyers.
B2C is suitable for directly communicating brand worldview and gaining fans through social media and EC malls.
It’s easy for small-scale operators to start and allows direct connection with customers, enabling expectations for repeat purchases and word-of-mouth expansion.
On the other hand, B2B is a method of expanding sales channels through local partners or distributors, enabling large orders and stable transactions.
Connecting encounters at exhibitions and trade shows to cross-border EC is also effective.
By skillfully using both approaches, it’s possible to achieve both brand recognition and sales expansion, making it important to consider both axes as a business strategy.
Specific Examples: 3 Japanese Traditional Crafts Cross-Border EC Cases
BECOS
Overview
“BECOS” is an abbreviation for “Beautiful Crafts Online Store,” a cross-border EC platform that exclusively handles high-quality “Made in Japan” traditional crafts carefully selected from artisans across Japan.
Cross-Border EC Official Site: https://en.thebecos.com/
Features
- Wide product range: Featuring over 4,000 items including tableware, miscellaneous goods, interior items, and fashion accessories, partnering with over 100 exhibitors.
- Optimal for gifts: Focusing on Japanese modern designs, also supporting gift-giving and ceremonial gifts.
- Fast shipping and careful service: Shipping within 1-2 business days from the order date, with comprehensive options for gift wrapping, noshi, and message cards.
- Cross-border crowdfunding expansion: Through “tsunagu Japan” media, implementing product development and sales for global markets on platforms like Kickstarter. For example, the Ishikawa Noto deba knife project achieved over 7.5 million yen in support.
ARTISAN
Overview
“ARTISAN” is a cross-border EC site for the US market operated by JTB USA, the US subsidiary of JTB Group. The service began on August 8, 2022, selling carefully selected Japanese traditional crafts.
Cross-Border EC Official Site: https://store.jtbusa.com/
Features
- Rich selection: Lineup of 34 brands and approximately 1,200 traditional crafts. Handling “Kakinuma Dolls” beckoning cats and daruma, “Rinzen” Edo kiriko, and “VEDUTA” kimono.
- Marketing and corporate gift support: Leveraging JTB USA’s corporate network and marketing power to provide corporate novelty and gift services (company name and logo customization).
- Cultural inheritance and sustainability: Supporting preservation of traditional techniques and sustainable regional development through long-lasting natural material crafts, also connecting to inbound travel demand creation.
omakase
Overview
“omakase” is a cross-border EC site specializing in Japanese products and traditional crafts, launched in October 2023 by forest Co., Ltd. (Shibuya, Tokyo). Leveraging EC operation know-how cultivated domestically, they provide one-stop support from site construction to shipping and customer service.
Cross-Border EC Official Site: https://omakase-forest.com/
Features
- Diversity of selected products: Starting with approximately 14 brands and selling to 64 countries and regions. Plans to expand to over 30 brands within one year.
- Full support system: Comprehensive support for cross-border EC needs including site construction, customs and logistics management, shipping, and customer support. Strengthening overseas expansion support for domestic brands.
How to Select Target Markets
When expanding traditional crafts through cross-border EC, the first important consideration is “which market to target” – target selection.
North America, Europe, and Asia each have different demand backgrounds and cultural preferences, with the same crafts being evaluated differently in each region.
Furthermore, it’s essential to specify target customer profiles to structure pricing, and to handle localization requirements for sales such as language and unit notation.
By correctly narrowing down markets and taking approaches that align with local consumers, you can maximize the appeal of crafts.
Demand Trends and Cultural Adaptation in North America, Europe, and Asia
The North American market favors “crafts that combine practicality with design.”
The market size is $361 billion (2024) with an average annual growth rate of 8.7%, and approximately 1.5 million traditional craft fans.
For example, simple and durable ceramics or modernly finished lacquerware are valued for being easy to incorporate into daily life.
The collector segment’s annual purchasing amount reaches an average of over $30,000.
The European market emphasizes “cultural background and artistic value,” with a market size of $209.2 billion (2024) and approximately 1 million fans.
The history of crafts and artisan stories particularly add value.
Core purchasing segments include 150,000 museum professionals, 250,000 tea ceremony and Zen practitioners, and 300,000 design specialists, with art pieces and limited collections having demand even at an average of €25,000 or more.
Meanwhile, Asian markets show strong “brand orientation” and “admiration for Japanese culture,” with approximately 2 million fans.
China is the largest market (1 million people), including 300,000 tea ceremony practitioners and 200,000 art investors.
Tea ceremony utensils and Japanese clothing-related items are popular mainly among affluent consumers, with collector segments averaging over $20,000 in annual purchases.
To be mindful of cultural adaptation, it’s also necessary to consider local lifestyle habits and religious backgrounds.
Understanding how the shapes, colors, and motifs of tableware are received locally can enhance the precision of sales strategies.
Research on overseas expansion by Japanese craft manufacturers has confirmed that cultural consideration is an important success factor.
Persona Design and Price Structure Development
Once you’ve decided on a target market, “persona design” – setting detailed customer profiles – is effective.
For example, specifically describing personas like “design-oriented couples in their 30s living in North America,” “travelers visiting European museum shops,” or “affluent consumers enjoying shopping at high-end department stores in Asia” clarifies product selection and pricing.
Price ranges can be structured in stages: $50-150 for daily use, $200-500 for mid-level consumers, and $1000+ for collectors to accommodate a wide range of needs.
What’s important is not just deciding prices, but preparing stories that can explain “why that price” is justified.
By properly communicating the value of crafts, this leads to purchases with price acceptance.
Localization Basics (Language and Dimension Notation)
In cross-border EC, localization of product descriptions and sales pages is essential.
With English as the base language, adding French or German for Europe, or Chinese or Korean for Asia enhances credibility.
For dimensions, it’s user-friendly to include both cm and inches/feet, and for weight, both grams and ounces.
Further attention is needed for taboo expressions and designs. Europe has cultures sensitive to specific animals or religious motifs, while Asia often has auspicious meanings embedded in colors and numbers.
Researching cultural backgrounds beforehand provides peace of mind to avoid misunderstandings or discomfort locally.
Through proper localization, crafts become “Japanese while being accepted locally,” leading to purchases.
Sales Channel Strategy: Own D2C or Marketplace?
When expanding traditional crafts through cross-border EC, important choices include whether to focus on your own site, utilize existing marketplaces, or combine with offline sales channels like wholesale or galleries.
While own D2C has the advantage of directly communicating brand worldview, it also involves the burden of establishing customer acquisition, payment, and logistics systems.
Marketplaces are easy to start with but face challenges of price competition and differentiation.
Additionally, transactions with galleries and department stores contribute to recognition expansion and credibility improvement, making a strategy that balances multiple sales channels effective.
Strengths and Requirements of Own Sites
The greatest advantage of building your own EC site is the ability to fully communicate your brand’s worldview.
Since you can freely design the layout and product descriptions, it’s possible to carefully communicate the background of crafts and artisan stories.
Using services like Shopify or BASE makes it relatively easy to introduce cross-border payment methods and multilingual translation features.
However, own sites require building customer acquisition power independently, making operational skills like SEO optimization, social media integration, and email marketing essential.
Additionally, return handling and logistics setup become your own responsibility, requiring securing logistics partners that support overseas shipping.
This approach suits business operators who prioritize brand uniqueness, but requires a long-term development mindset considering startup burdens.
Using Etsy, Amazon, and eBay Strategically
When utilizing marketplaces, it’s important to understand each platform’s characteristics and use them strategically.
Etsy
Etsy specializes in handmade and craft items, providing an environment that easily reaches craft fans and individual collectors in Europe and America.
Amazon
Amazon is the world’s largest EC mall with advantages in searchability and shipping speed, but intense price competition makes branding challenging.
eBay
eBay provides access to a wide range of global audiences but also competes with auction formats and secondary markets, making it suitable for rare crafts or limited items.
Business operators should choose platforms according to product price ranges and target segments, using multiple platforms to diversify sales channel risks.
Wholesale, Gallery, and Department Store Buyer Development
In addition to online channels, strategically incorporating offline sales channels can significantly enhance brand credibility and recognition.
Galleries are particularly effective as venues for positioning crafts as art pieces, and participating in overseas exhibitions and art fairs becomes a great opportunity to enhance brand value.
Transactions with department store buyers emphasize quality and track record, but once adopted, they have high potential for stability as ongoing sales channels.
Sales through local wholesalers can lead to large orders, but price adjustments and condition negotiations become essential.
Business operators need to build strategies that combine own D2C, marketplaces, and offline sales channels to achieve both revenue and recognition while determining their brand direction.
Importance of Product Pages and Storytelling
In cross-border EC, product pages are not merely sales information but the most important content for communicating brand value.
Particularly for traditional crafts, the stories behind products – their regions, artisans, and the meaning of techniques – drive purchasing motivation.
For overseas users, there’s a strong sense of “buying culture,” making it essential to carefully convey appeal through photos, videos, and story text.
Additionally, SEO design and translation strategies to be found through search are indispensable.
Evolving product pages from mere catalogs to “narrative hubs that inspire empathy” will be key to cross-border EC success.
How to Present Stories, Regional Information, and Artisan Details
“Storytelling” is effective when delivering traditional crafts overseas.
Rather than simply describing “lacquerware” or “ceramics,” clearly communicating the history and regional culture of the production area, and the techniques and feelings inherited by artisans resonates with purchasers.
For example, expressions like “Takaoka bronze casting is born from 400 years of metalworking techniques” or “This lacquerware is hand-finished one by one in a workshop continuing for three generations” provide backing for pricing and build trust.
Since overseas customers find value in “who made it” and “how it has been passed down,” including artisan profiles and production scenes in product pages is effective.
As a result, products gain appeal as “cultural carriers” rather than mere objects, making them more likely to lead to purchases.
Creating Photos, Videos, Dimension Charts, and Certificates
To create visual persuasiveness on product pages, photo and video quality is important.
In addition to multi-angle photos, preparing enlarged images and lifestyle shots showing usage scenes deepens understanding.
Videos introducing artisan handiwork or the completion process in just a few minutes can enhance product credibility.
Additionally, for overseas markets, it’s helpful to include both cm and inches, grams and ounces in dimension and weight charts.
Furthermore, attaching “regional certification” or “artisan-signed certificates” that prove craft authenticity provides peace of mind.
By combining this information, products can be appealed not as mere decorative items, but as valuable works reflecting authentic traditional culture.
Cross-Border SEO, Tag Design, and Translation Operations
To deliver product pages to overseas customers, search engine optimization is essential.
Including English expressions easily searched locally like “Japanese lacquerware” or “Samurai sword craft” in product titles and descriptions is also effective.
For tag design, set categories and material names in multiple languages to increase search hit rates.
For translation operations, combining native checking with machine translation can achieve natural sentences without awkwardness.
Furthermore, it’s important to make corrections based on understanding cultural taboos and local-specific expressions.
By comprehensively designing SEO, tags, and translation, product pages become powerful tools that reach potential customers worldwide and build brand trust.
Marketing and Continuous Purchasing
When selling traditional crafts through cross-border EC, it’s important not to end with one-time purchases but to build ongoing relationships.
To have customers repeatedly choose products, multifaceted measures are required including social media and influencer-driven communication, email and retargeting systems for repurchasing, and subscription model implementation.
Additionally, understanding figures from customer acquisition to purchase through data enables efficient marketing.
Strategically combining digital marketing while maintaining brand worldview directly leads to craft business growth.
How to Use Social Media, Influencers, and PR
Social media is the most effective means of connecting directly with overseas customers.
Instagram and Pinterest are strong in visual appeal, suitable for conveying craft beauty and production processes.
YouTube and TikTok can easily evoke empathy by introducing artisan work scenes and product stories in short videos.
Additionally, partnering with local influencers naturally reaches target segments and builds trust.
In PR activities, being featured in overseas media and design magazines leads to brand recognition, and combining with exhibition participation creates synergistic effects.
Organically linking social media, influencers, and PR is the shortcut to fan building and new customer acquisition.
Email, Retargeting, and Subscription Implementation
To continuously retain customers who have purchased products once, relationship measures are essential.
Email marketing is effective for post-purchase follow-up and new product introductions, with personalized content particularly leading to repeat purchases.
Retargeting advertising is a system for re-approaching users with browsing history or cart abandonment, effective for improving conversion rates.
Furthermore, introducing subscription models can promote continuous purchasing as services that regularly deliver “omakase selections” or “seasonal craft gifts.”
Preparing systems that make customers naturally want to use repeatedly leads to establishing a stable revenue foundation.
Data Analysis Visualization (CAC, LTV, CVR)
To maximize marketing results, decisions based on data rather than intuition are necessary.
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Customer Lifetime Value (LTV), and Conversion Rate (CVR) are particularly important indicators for understanding advertising investment efficiency and long-term profitability.
For example, if CAC is too high, advertising channels need review; if LTV is low, repeat measures need strengthening.
Using Google Analytics, Shopify dashboards, and BI tools makes visualization easy.
Regular data review clarifies which measures lead to results, enabling efficient allocation of marketing resources.
“Visualizing” numbers becomes the key to supporting continuous growth.
Conclusion
Expanding traditional crafts through cross-border EC requires not just listing products, but multifaceted efforts including market selection, sales channel strategy, product page design, and marketing. Particularly, storytelling and high-quality visual expression become major factors for overseas customers in making purchase decisions.
Furthermore, combining social media and influencer utilization, repeat customer development systems, and data analysis for effectiveness measurement creates a framework for long-term growth.
Because traditional crafts have added value as “culture,” with proper strategic communication, they hold great potential for increasing fans domestically and internationally and building sustainable sales channels.
