Crafts

A cute custom and craft in Japan is the Teru teru bozu (てるてる坊主). “Teru” is a Japanese verb which describes sunshine, and a “bōzu” is a Buddhist monk.  Teru teru bozu are handmade white cloth dolls that children make to ward off rain. School age children will make Teru teru …

Join the Best Living Japan Craft Day – Mother’s Day Gifts on Saturday, May 12th! Mothers’ Day is Sunday, May 13th in Japan, the US, EU and many other countries.  We know what moms want for Mom’s Day!  A gift made by the hands of the one you cherish is …

Artsy families will love the Asakusa Wanariya indigo dyeing and weaving workshop. You can indigo tie-dye (Aizome -藍染) a shirt, scarf, bag and more. If you have a piece of cloth at home or garment, you would like to dye you can also bring that in to try the art. …

We needed a simple but bright side table for our kid’s corner, so we did a quick Ikea Lack side table hack. The Lack side table runs between 999-1,500 yen depending on Ikea sales. We had a beat-up black one that was floating around the house so we repurposed it …

Grow a winter or early spring bulb garden for an easy and beautiful project. I am a flower and over-all gardening lover. From early April until late November I am in my garden digging, pulling and trimming, but in the cooler months, I enjoy planting bulbs indoor! If you are …

I highly recommend the Suntory Museum Tea Ceremony if you have guests in town or have yet to experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony yourself. The Suntory Museum offers a great value for visitors. I have yet to find a 1,000 JPY tea ceremony in such a lovely environment.  The …

As an avid antiquer, I have found cracked plates and cups that deserved a second life with Kintsugi Gold Joinery.  I was thrilled to find Saideigama studio in Aoyama that offers an introductory two-hour lesson. Kintsugi (金継ぎ, きんつぎ) is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer and then to@@ing …

This 100 Yen Store Craft is a great Valentine`s Day gift from kids to parents, teachers, caregivers, family and friends. It`s a fun and simple craft that can be completed in less than an hour. The materials you`ll need can be found at any of the larger 100 yen shops. We …

Add a whimsical touch to any birthday cake with this 100 yen store craft idea. This project is really simple and I love that you can create anything you like – your child`s favorite characters, words, numbers, anything at all. Quick, simple and your kids will love it! Materials Needed: …

I needed a few big pieces of artwork for my Airbnbs and found a few old shoji screens, so I crafted some washi shoji screens. Shoji are the wooden screens that Japanese homes traditionally use to separate rooms. However, in newer homes they are less popular due to the lack …

Looking for a quick fun craft to keep your tribe busy and cool this summer? Try a summer fans craft. I bought a few paper fans at the local Daiso 100 yen store and had fun with the kids. A quick and cheap craft which will also be very useful over …

We have curated the Best of Setsubun information for your education and amusement. Are you ready for Setsubun? It’s next Wednesday, February 3rd. There are so many great festivals, crafts and art associated with Setsubun. Below are some of the best inspirational and educational bits we could find!  We love …

Want a fun craft you can do year round with the kids? Or the perfect kids` handmade paper gifts for friends and family? Try Paper Quilling! Paper Quilling or Paper Filigree is the art of shaping rolled paper into decorative shapes that can be glued together. It’s fun, and it helps …

If you needed some wall art, that is fun, bold and inexpensive try this Japan Silhouette – DIY craft. Also a great project to learn or remember you Japan geography. Did you know Japan has 6,852 islands, but only 430 are inhabited. Don’t worry you do not need to paint …

If you love DIY and you want to get you or your hands dirty, then you have to visit the creative shop called DIY Factory in Futako-Tamagawa. This store is fascinating they sell DIY products, have DIY workshops, and offer workshop space and tool rental.  As a true blood DIYer, …

Walking into art and craft supplies stores for me is like walking into a candy store. Not only do I buy what I wanted, but end up buying all kinds of “cool” stuff for future projects. Don’t despair it may take a bit of searching but you can find most …

Have you ever wondered how to make plastic food samples? You can enjoy making food samples the old fashion way with wax at Ganso Sample in Kappabashi, Tokyo (aka Kitchen Town located near Asakusa). Kappabashi is the main restaurant and kitchen supplies neighbourhood in Tokyo with over 150 stores supply …

Hi Curious and Creative, Had a great morning yesterday with a friend making 100 yen craft 2015 Calendar and Notebooks. These are great little gifts that anyone can make! Your local 100 yen store presently have a wide selection of 2015 calendar and notebooks which can be dressed-up and transferred in …

With four kids and a dog I have a lot of people to thank this year. I think this 100 yen store craft – mikan wreath –  is a healthy alternative to cookies and candies. Love the colours, and the fact that the mikans (clementines or tangerines) are in season now …

Dear Curious and Creative, I love 100 yen stores in Japan. Most have a whole wall of holiday decorations for sale this time of year.  Here are instructions on how to make a holiday door hanging.  Yesterday, I picked up some items to make this holiday door hanging for our …