Articles
On Owari cloisonné — its history, its techniques, and how to look at the work.
Antique Japanese Cloisonné Marks: How to Read Them and Why Most Pieces Have None
The first thing to know about antique Japanese cloisonné marks is that most pieces do not have o…
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Chinese vs Japanese Cloisonné: The Real Differences and How Collectors Tell Them Apart
Chinese and Japanese cloisonné share a technique and diverge in almost everyth…
Cloisonné vs Enamel: What the Difference Actually Is, and Where the Words Overlap
"Cloisonné vs enamel" is a slightly misleading comparison, because the two are…
Crane Symbolism in Japan: Longevity, Marriage, and the Thousand Paper Cranes
The crane is among the most widely used motifs in Japanese visual culture, app…
How Japanese Cloisonné Is Made: The Full Process from Copper Sheet to Polished Surface
Japanese cloisonné looks like a painted surface and is nothing of the kind. Ev…
Iki: The Japanese Aesthetic of Effortless Style and Urban Sophistication
Iki is the Japanese aesthetic term least likely to appear in a guide to Zen-in…
Japandi Style Explained: Where Japanese Restraint Meets Scandinavian Warmth
Japandi is one of the most searched interior styles of the past decade, and on…
Japanese Cloisonné Enamel Jewelry: How It Is Made, What to Look For, and How to Care for It
Cloisonné jewelry looks like painted metal until you get close. It is not pain…
Japanese Enamel Art: The Meiji Masters, Their Techniques, and Where to See the Work
Between roughly 1880 and 1910, Japanese enamel reached a level of technical re…
Japanese Pottery and Ceramics: The Major Kilns, Styles, and How to Tell Them Apart
Japanese ceramics do not organise themselves neatly. A wood-fired Bizen jar wi…
