Nature-inspired Kaga yuzen silk dyeing. Boldly-glazed Kutani porcelain. Fine layers of gold leaf. Hand-carved Buddhist statues. And the lustrous surface depth of Wajima-nuri lacquerware. For centuries, Ishikawa Prefecture, in western Japan, has thrived as a deeply respected treasure trove of some of the nation’s finest examples of traditional craftsmanship. The region, which scenically hugs the coastline of the Sea of Japan, is home to a rich landscape of generations-old manufacturing hubs specialising in a spectrum of artisan expressions, from ceramics and woodwork to textiles.
Now, however, Ishikawa is in the spotlight for a different reason: it was the region hit hardest by the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that shook Japan on New Year’s Day 2024. As the dust begins to settle on the devastation – a death toll topping 221, with 22 still missing, plus more than 20,000 still in evacuation centres – the imprint of the disaster on Japan’s precious craft heritage is sharply coming into focus.
