This is not a piece from our workshop, but there is a maki-e technique called hane maki-e, or “feather maki-e,” which represents virtuosity of the highest order even within the world of maki-e. Capturing the softness and delicacy of feathers is extraordinarily difficult.

History Uncovered In-ro: Samurai Style / NHK WORLD Worn by samurai on formal occasions, in-ro were palm-sized containers crafted with masterful skill. In each piece, we uncover the refined spirit of samurai dandyism. www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...

Pierre Gasly of Alpine took the stage at the F1 TOKYO FAN FESTIVAL at Tokyo Tower and gave fans an early look at his special “kintsugi-inspired” helmet for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. Kintsugi-inspired, of course — not literally repaired with kintsugi😅 carview.yahoo.co.jp/news/detail/...

This is not a piece from our workshop, but there is a maki-e technique called hane maki-e, or “feather maki-e,” which represents virtuosity of the highest order even within the world of maki-e. Capturing the softness and delicacy of feathers is extraordinarily difficult.

A British man who is left-handed and has dyslexia had long believed that he might never find a fountain pen that truly suited him. Because of his distinctive way of writing, pen nibs were easily damaged, and he had given up on using fountain pens for years. #fountainpen x.com/Cacophanus/s...

Maki-e fountain pens

Today’s advertisement in my local newspaper was strikingly beautiful. Here in eastern Japan, the season of cherry blossoms is just about to begin✿

I just published The Unease We Felt with Happy End Was Right — On Yuzuru Hanyu’s Interpretation medium.com/p/the-unease...

You can read the full paper on this page. www.researchgate.net/profile/Kazu...

1/7 A fascinating new study has been published on reconstructing an Edo-period orbital epithesis—a prosthetic used to restore the area around a missing eye—using materials and techniques available in Japan at the time.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi was serving as ambassador to Japan in 2011. After the Great East Japan Earthquake, he visited Yamada Town in Iwate Prefecture and joined embassy staff in preparing and serving meals for survivors.

Herbal tea brewed with hot water from a maki-e Nambu iron kettle is something truly special. This is HOUSE Shizukuishi in Iwate.

Casio has developed and launched a urushi-lacquered calculator, and it is absolutely beautiful. I had considered lacquering calculators myself, but this is not the kind of project that can easily be realized unless the manufacturer takes the initiative.

I created this maki-e lightsaber on commission — even though I’ve never actually watched Star Wars😅

I just published Yuzuru Hanyu, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Kintsugi medium.com/p/yuzuru-han...

私の本業でもない全くの趣味でありますが、昔からの推しであるYMO＆坂本龍一の楽曲が使われた羽生結弦さんのスケートショーを観た感想をnoteに書いたら、予想外の数のスキ♡をいただいてしまい困惑しています… note.com/japanjoboji/...

I created this maki-e lightsaber on commission — even though I’ve never actually watched Star Wars😅

In today’s Nikkei column Shunju, I came across this striking line: “In war, the boundary where opposing forces clash is called the military front. But I had never heard the term cultural front before.”

Mt. Iwate looks absolutely beautiful today in the clear weather. At the same time, cedar pollen is everywhere, so wearing a mask is a must. In Japan, most people wearing masks at this time of year are doing so because of hay fever.

A bonus poster included with Newton magazine’s whale special issue. It features a stunning illustration by contemporary ukiyo-e artist Ken Shiozaki, reminiscent of Hokusai’s waves. #ukiyoe #whale

To Many, These Buildings in Japan Are Magnificent. They’re Doomed Anyway. In Morioka as well, beautiful and highly original buildings designed by Mr. Kikutake were destroyed and stripped of their essential character. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/a...

Fifteen years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. In Iwate Prefecture, the disaster claimed 5,145 lives, with 1,110 people still missing. When I was younger, I lived in Miyako. I also lost an acquaintance in Kamaishi, and some of my relatives were affected by the disaster.

I happened upon a catalogue of inrō in the foreign books section of Maruzen in Tokyo. It showcases 253 elegant, dignified, and exquisitely crafted inrō. Finding it felt like discovering a treasure.

I have been a fan of YMO and Ryuichi Sakamoto even longer than I have been involved with urushi. When I posted an essay reflecting on the use of Sakamoto’s music in Yuzuru Hanyu’s ice show, it reached far more readers than I expected and drew a strong response. #HANYUYUZURU

I happened upon a catalogue of inrō in the foreign books section of Maruzen in Tokyo. It showcases 253 elegant, dignified, and exquisitely crafted inrō. Finding it felt like discovering a treasure.

羽生結弦と坂本龍一、そして金継ぎ｜松沢漆工房 note note.com/japanjoboji/...

I went to Tokyo on a day trip today. The cherry blossoms were already blooming there, and it made me feel just how different the temperature is from Morioka.

Last night in Sendai, we attended an appreciation event for supporters of Ofunato’s recovery and enjoyed delicious abalone from Ofunato. By coincidence, Yuzuru Hanyu’s ice show was also taking place in the city, and thanks to his call for support for Ofunato, Sendai was full of his fans😊

I reached out to the Plattsburgh State Art Museum to ask about using Rockwell Kent’s Moby-Dick illustrations for a fountain pen project. They replied with wonderful news:

We decorated a Pelikan M800 with raden (mother-of-pearl inlay) for a commission, but the order was later canceled, so the pen is now available. If you’re interested in purchasing it, please message me. #fountainpen #matsuzawa

I reached out to the Plattsburgh State Art Museum to ask about using Rockwell Kent’s Moby-Dick illustrations for a fountain pen project. They replied with wonderful news:

The latest issue of Geijutsu Shincho features a shunga special with astonishing craftsmanship. The printing is so precise it’s hard to believe it was done by hand 200 years ago… It makes me want to capture that intricate energy on a fountain pen with maki-e—but it’s definitely for true enthusiasts.

We will create a limited edition of three maki-e fountain pens featuring this dragon design—a blue dragon.
 If you’re interested, please get in touch. The pens are expected to be completed in about four months. #fountainpen

We will create a limited edition of three maki-e fountain pens featuring this dragon design—a blue dragon.
 If you’re interested, please get in touch. The pens are expected to be completed in about four months. #fountainpen

LAMY safari × itoya copper 03 I think this beautiful sakura🌸 pink is perfect for the season in Japan. It might look even better with a maki-e design of cherry blossom petals on the barrel. #fountainpen

A steering wheel finished in traditional maki-e, inspired by the motif of the Japanese National Treasure Katawaguruma Raden Maki-e Tebako (a tebako decorated with maki-e and mother-of-pearl inlay). #matsuzawa

Celebrate the Year of the Horse with Chinese Calligraphy youtu.be/wDLSAYzqIA0?... @YouTube

LAMY safari × itoya copper 03 I think this beautiful sakura🌸 pink is perfect for the season in Japan. It might look even better with a maki-e design of cherry blossom petals on the barrel. #fountainpen

A steering wheel finished in traditional maki-e, inspired by the motif of the Japanese National Treasure Katawaguruma Raden Maki-e Tebako (a tebako decorated with maki-e and mother-of-pearl inlay). #matsuzawa

This is an article from today’s Asahi Shimbun. It will be available to read for free until tomorrow. Since it’s in Japanese, please use a translation tool and take a look. digital.asahi.com/articles/ASV...

Today marks one year since the forest fire in Ofunato started. It burned about 2,900 hectares (about 7,200 acres) of forest and damaged homes and facilities, causing widespread loss. Coming fourteen years after the devastating tsunami, it was another blow—yet people have been quietly rebuilding.

It is hard to believe that it has already been four years since the invasion of Ukraine… I began my kintsugi work in support of Ukraine around the same time, so it has been about that long for me as well.

We have expressed a masterpiece by Sakai Hōitsu, one of the leading artists of the Rinpa school in the Edo period, on a demonstrator fountain pen. I believe it is quite rare to apply maki-e to a demonstrator pen body. #fountainpen #matsuzawa

Utagawa Kuniyoshi expanded ukiyo-e techniques by drawing inspiration from Western painting, and he captured fleeting expressions in an almost cinematic way. Inspired by that aspect of his work, our workshop created a samurai-themed fountain pen. #fountainpen #matsuzawa #Kunuyoshi

“10 Years Since, 10 Years Ahead” — Fuka Konno youtu.be/IHKHWQQj8Tg?... This video is from a year ago, but after that, a forest fire broke out in Ofunato. Her family also had to evacuate their home. She completed her training in Wajima and returned to Iwate, where she is working toward her dream😊

Today is a national holiday in Japan for the Emperor’s Birthday🎌 It has been 10 years since urushi from our workshop was used on the main gate of the Imperial Palace.

This year, Pikachu turns 30. Zelda and Link hit 40, and Donkey Kong celebrates his 45th. How did Japan's gaming icons reach middle age, and what's in store for them once they're officially over the hill?

Utagawa Kuniyoshi expanded ukiyo-e techniques by drawing inspiration from Western painting, and he captured fleeting expressions in an almost cinematic way. Inspired by that aspect of his work, our workshop created a samurai-themed fountain pen. #fountainpen #matsuzawa #Kunuyoshi

February 22 is Cat Day in Japan. 🐈 It comes from a Japanese wordplay: 2 can be read as “ni,” so 2/22 sounds like “nyan nyan nyan” — the Japanese version of “meow meow meow.” That’s why many people in Japan celebrate by sharing cat posts on social media.

Review of The Samurai exhibition at the British Museum: An impressive collection of samurai arms, armour, arts and memorabilia, structured around the samurai successively as warriors, aristocrats, and legends.