An eye for design

Utilising its global network spanning some 40 countries, Time Out Tokyo’s Japan Connect project is aimed at prompting new interest in Japan, increasing demand for Japanese specialty products and encouraging more international visitors. In January 2010, one writer from each of Time Out London and Time Out New York were sent to Japan where they spent a week each in northern Kyushu and Hokuriku (north-western Honshu) to research regional specialty products and traditional crafts. Their articles were featured in the February editions of Time Out London and Time Out New York and readers were invited to participate in a survey on Japanese specialty products and shopping habits. The survey, which was available online, focused on the 20 specialty products covered in the article. Over 130 responses helped to shed light on what people coming to Japan look for in tourism and shopping.

The northern region of Kyushu scored the most highly to the question ‘Which product interested you the most?’ with Koishiwara yaki (ceramics from Koishiwara) being the most popular choice. Food coordinator, Tomoko Nagao, has banded together a group of potters in Koishiwara, Toho Village (Asakura-gun), helping them produce modern pottery which match a modern lifestyle and western food while drawing on traditional Japanese pottery techniques. From Hokuriku, the most popular choice was Keijyusha, a paper manufacturer in Yatsuomachi (Toyama prefecture), which has a long history of making hand-made Japanese paper.

Read more about Koishiwara pottery
Read more about Keijusha Washi Bunko paper

Kyushu rankings

No.2 Kitchen knives (read more)

No.3 Kokura-ori fabric (read more)

No.4 Imari-yaki porcelain (read more)

No.5 Miso (read more)

Hokuriku rankings

No.2 Kazuma Sake Brewery (read more)

No.3 Inami Wood Carving (inamichoukoku.com/)

No.4 Kaburaki Shoho Kutani Ware (read more)

No.5 Kaneishi squid sauce (read more)

The survey results also showed that when people from overseas are choosing a product the aspect they focus on the most is design. Other products that rated highly were toujiki (ceramics) and Japanese foods. Sixty percent of respondents answered that while they had bought Japanese ingredients (processed food, seasonings, sweets or sake) they wanted ‘to have more opportunities see Japanese ingredients and get to know more about them (either in stores or on the internet)’ thereby expressing a desire for more opportunities to purchase Japanese foods and receive product information.

People from abroad are showing great interest in Japanese artisans who are continuing to make well-designed products and using traditional methods of production. Through the internationally recognized ‘brand’ of Time Out, Time Out Tokyo plans to continue to share the wonders of Japan by ‘introducing the world to Japan’s hidden gems’.