When I visit a travel destination or a select shop, I can’t help imagining, “How would I use this at home?”
And I think the excitement of finding and bringing home a favorite “one-of-a-kind” item is incomparable.
For six days from May 8, 2024, the “Handcrafted Goods Fair,” bringing together handmade crafts from across Japan, is being held at Tenmaya Kurashiki, so I went to check it out.
The information provided was current when this article was published in May 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
The 10th Handcrafted Goods Fair
The 10th Handcrafted Goods Fair is an exhibition that began on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at the event space on the first floor of Tenmaya Kurashiki.
The organizer is Okayama Prefectural Folkcraft Promotion Co., Ltd., which operates “Kurashi no Gallery” in Okayama City and Osaka City, with its main store in Toiyacho, Kita Ward, Okayama City.
The exhibition is being held for six days, through Monday, May 13, 2024.
Please see the image below for information about the exhibitors.
![[Held May 8 (Wed)–13 (Mon)] The 10th Handcrafted Goods Fair — Find your favorite handmade crafts, many of which you can’t usually see in Kurashiki](https://media.kuratoco.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/23004415/DSCF1706.jpg)
What the 10th Handcrafted Goods Fair was like
I went to the venue on the morning of May 8, the first day of the fair.
It had been about an hour since the doors opened, and customers were intently looking at the works on every shelf.
Since this was the first time the fair had been held in three years, people must have been looking forward to this day.
Visitors could touch all the works at the venue, and many were appreciating them not just by looking, but also by touching them.
A wide range of handmade crafts lined up
At department stores and station buildings, exhibitions are usually organized by category, such as ceramics or textiles.
At the “Handcrafted Goods Fair,” however, handmade crafts from a wide range of categories came together at the venue.
This meant visitors could enjoy thinking up their own combinations, such as cutlery with tableware or glasses with coasters. Many thoughtful touches helped visitors imagine these items in everyday life: flowers were placed alongside some of the works, and a pot sat on top of a trivet.
Take your time examining the items by looking and touching
At the “Handcrafted Goods Fair,” part of the fun is not only enjoying the works by looking at them, but also bringing home pieces you’d like to incorporate into your everyday life.
Many visitors who had made a full circuit of the venue on their first round came back with baskets.
Every piece had its own unique color and shape.
It was striking to see people carefully looking at and touching each item as they took their time to consider it.
Imagining new possibilities through conversations with the staff
As I looked at and touched the works at the venue, a staff member quietly came over to me.
When I asked, “How do you use this?” they gave me a careful demonstration.
When you see how something is used in practice, or hear how the staff use the item in their own daily lives, it helps you form a more concrete picture of how to incorporate it into your own life.
I also brought home a dessert fork by Lue that had caught my eye from my first round.
Lue makes brass cutlery in Setouchi City. I was told this fork is just right for cutting cake and fruit into bite-sized pieces as you eat, so I’m looking forward to using it in the coming season, when peaches and melons will be ripe.
From the Writer
At the venue, where a variety of genres from all over Japan come together, visitors weren’t just looking—they imagined, “How would I use this?” and, as they came up with their own original combinations, reached out for the pieces.
A workshop by Shimayusha Kaaranya is also scheduled for the weekend, May 11 and 12, and the event is expected to get even livelier.
The workshop has reached capacity.
Why not find a piece you love at the 10th Handcrafts Gathering and bring it into your everyday life?
10th Handcrafts Gathering Information
| Name | 10th Handcrafts Gathering |
|---|---|
| Dates | May 8 (Wed)–13 (Mon), 2024 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. (closes at 6:00 p.m. on the final day) |
| Location | 1-7-1 Achi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free admission |
| Website | Okayama Mingei Promotion Co., Ltd. |
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