Traditional Crafts
Kutani porcelain and Yamanaka lacquerware, which date back to the Edo period, are the main traditional industries of Kaga. You can get a close look at these crafts in the souvenir shops in town. Expensive works of art by artists who have been designated living national treasures are also on exhibit and available for purchase.
Kutani Porcelain
Kutani porcelain
A world of flowers, birds and nature, depicted in five colors
Promoted 350 years ago as a major industry of the Daishojiclan, which was the previous incarnation of Kaga, Kutani porcelain consists of overglaze porcelain decorated with bright designs in the five colors ofblue, yellow, purple, dark blue and red. The souvenir shops sell a wide range of pieces, from plates with traditional designs dating from the Edo period to modern tableware. At the Kutaniyaki Art Museum you can see valuable pieces in the Ko-Kutani style, which were fired in the early days of Kutani porcelain.
Yamanaka Lacquerware
Yamanaka Lacquerware
Techniques and artistic sensibility that developed in a mountain village
Turned wooden items were the first craft items to be sold as souvenirs for visitors to Yamanaka Hot Spring, a resort long known for its high-quality water. Bowls are turned on a lathe, and then decorated with fine designs by means of a chisel. Gold relief work is applied to black and red lacquer to add a gorgeous touch. The souvenir shops on Yuge Street sell lovely, smooth lacquered items including bowls and chopsticks.