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crafts (Page 6)

Artist Mio Hashimoto shares her stunning wooden animal sculptures and methods in new how-to book

Preston Phro
Oct 13, 2015
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The visual arts are, for a writer like me, akin to magic. I see the finished product and the raw material and I basically have no idea how the artist got from point A to point B — even if I actually watched them work through the entire process! And when it comes to sculptures, all bets are off. You could tell me a wizard conjured the work whole with a wave of a wand, and I’d be hard-pressed to prove you wrong.

Fortunately, the incredibly talented Mio Hashimoto, woodcarver and artist, has written a how-to book explaining some of her methods and showing the detail of some of her adorable animal sculptures. Now, at least, I’ll know exactly how she achieved her results, even if I’ll never have a chance of replicating them myself. And for all you artists out there, aspiring or otherwise, this book will teach you how to make all the pets you’ll ever want!

Japan
(art • crafts • statues • woodworking)

Watch this magical cloth return to its origami form after being stretched out

Preston Phro
Sep 25, 2015

Origami is one of Japan’s most well-known art forms**.** At its simplest, even children can enjoy it, and at its most complicated, it can be used for commercial purposes and designs. Now, one company has created special pieces of cloth that will automatically refold into their original origami forms after being stretched out. There doesn’t seem to be any particular, unique benefit to these pieces of fabric, but we sure want some!

Check out the mesmerizing video below!

Japan
(cloth • cool • crafts • origami • Perrocaliente)

Origami for books! Turn your old hardcovers into awesome 3-D art with OruFun

Casey Baseel
Aug 27, 2015

People are often loathe to part with their books, even after they’ve finished reading them. Thick, hardbound editions in particular have a sense of presence that entices literature lovers to hang on to them.

Sure, maybe you’re never going to go back and leaf through that heavy tome again, but doesn’t it look stately as it sits on the shelf? It might, but it would look a lot cooler if you used the pages to make one of these amazing folded paper pieces of art.

Internet
(art • books • cool • crafts • folding • origami)

Samurai Toothpicks with bite-sized language lessons will help you look and sound like a swordsman

Casey Baseel
Jun 20, 2015

If you watch a lot of samurai movies or TV shows, you might have noticed that a toothpick is about as common a costume accessory as a set of paired swords. The reason isn’t because samurai were particularly fastidious about dental hygiene, though. Many fictional samurai stories re set in the Edo period, when the end of Japan’s centuries of civil war caused the warrior class’ power and prestige to begin slowly but surely eroding.

The samurai were a prideful bunch, though, and were loath to admit the new societal reality that swordsman had suddenly become a far less lucrative profession. So even if they couldn’t afford to regularly fill their stomachs, many would still lodge a toothpick between their teeth to give the impression that they’d just polished off a lavish meal fit for a man of high rank.

Of course, it takes more than just a toothpick to transform yourself into a samurai. You’ll also need to talk the talk, which is why these traditionally made Japanese toothpicks come individually wrapped with period-correct samurai phrases, and even helpful English translations and pronunciation guides.

Japan
(crafts • culture • Japanese language • samurai • toothpicks)

Now you can be the coolest ninja on the block with these awesome origami shuriken

Meg Murphy
May 20, 2015

Origami is known worldwide as the art of paper-folding, and while most people associate it with Japanese culture, it also has history in China and Europe as well. We’re not sure what it is, but there is something strangely satisfying about turning a flat piece of paper into a three-dimensional model resembling anything from flowers to animals to vehicles.

One particularly fun shape to make are ninja throwing-stars, like the ones you see above. If you’re in the mood for some crafts and would like to give it a try, follow us after the jump to get started!

Japan
(crafts • Ninja • origami • shuriken • throwing stars)

“Pop” daruma dolls so popular you’ll have to wait three years to get one

Jessica
May 13, 2015

Daruma are a kind of roly-poly wishing doll in Japanese Buddhism. You draw one eye in while making a wish, and then fill in the other when your wish comes true. Given their sweet purpose and blob-like shape, traditional daruma are already pretty charming, but a woodcarving shop in Kagawa Prefecture has found a pop makeover makes them even more attractive, so much so that there is a 3-year waiting list to get one!

Japan
(art • crafts • culture • cute • daruma • dolls • Japanese dolls • Kagawa • Shikoku)

How to double the value of your $10 car: Spend 30 minutes adding racing stripes!

Casey Baseel
Mar 3, 2015

Some of you may remember the fateful day last spring when our Japanese-language reporter Go bought what was probably the cheapest car in Japan by acquiring his current ride for just 980 yen (US $8.30). Nine months later, not only is his 1997 Mitsubishi Minica still firing on all three cylinders under its hood, but it recently passed its mandatory biennial safety inspection, called shaken in Japanese.

In celebration, Go treated the Minica to a wash for the first time since he drove it back to Tokyo from Nagoya. With a fresh coat of wax, it was looking better than ever, but Go still wasn’t 100-percent satisfied with the car’s appearance. See, Go believes the Mini is just an overall cooler car than the Minica, so he set out to transform the latter into the former using the finest vinyl sheets and magic markers he could find.

Japan
(art • cars • crafts • funny)

Kumiko: The exquisitely delicate side of traditional Japanese woodwork

Audrey Akcasu
Feb 25, 2015

A few weeks ago we introduced you to the world of traditional Japanese woodwork, a technique that uses no nails or hardware, just precise joints, to keep furniture and even buildings together. This technique is also used to create intricate, wooden, functional artwork, known as kumiko, which is used within Japanese style-rooms to create a stunning atmosphere.

The traditional handicraft has been passed down for centuries, however, the trade is sadly dying out. In response, artisans are taking the age-old concept and applying the designs to more modern-day household items, such as chairs and lampshades. The results are nothing short of exquisite!

Japan
(beautiful • crafts • design • interior • tradition • woodwork)

Artist makes cool Gundam, tanks, and rifles out of Amazon boxes to show they’re all secretly cute

Casey Baseel
Feb 12, 2015

You can use the phrase “paper tiger” to describe someone or something that’s not as tough as it appears to be, but you could conjure up the same image just as easily with a different pair of words. For example, “cardboard tank” seems like it could serve the same linguistic purpose. So could “cardboard Gundam” or “cardboard M16,” for that matter.

But while those might not be as powerful as their original, non-cardboard forms, they are all incredibly awesome when made out of corrugated cardboard, as proven by the creations of artist Monami Ono, who makes all those and more out of cardboard boxes from Amazon.

Japan
(anime • art • cardboard • cool • crafts • Gundam • modelling)

Web series’ anime arsenal expands with real-life version of Kill la Kill’s Scissor Blade【Video】

Casey Baseel
Jan 29, 2015

You really have to respect the skills of the team behind Man at Arms and its successor Man at Arms Reforged. It was impressive enough when the web series’ blacksmiths were taking on projects as iconic or massive as The Legend of Zelda’s Master Sword or Final Fantasy VII’s Masamune. The craftsmen have since moved on to even more complicated designs, such as the gunblade from Final Fantasy VIII and Fierce Deity Sword from Majora’s Mask.

Now, Man at Arms Reforged is back with what might be its most unique creation yet, the Scissor Blade from cult hit anime Kill la Kill, made from materials as unusual as the school supply inspiration of the weapon itself.

Japan
(anime • awesome • cool • cosplay • crafts • Kill la Kill • Man at Arms Reforged)

In the name of the moon, I will marry you! Couple holds awesome Sailor Moon wedding in L.A.

Casey Baseel
Dec 27, 2014

A while back, we took a look at some Japanese wedding receptions that took cues from Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda and Konami’s Beatmania rhythm game. Japan isn’t the only place where fictional fandom and romantic nuptials cross paths, though.

This month, an American couple that seems to love Sailor Moon almost as much as they love each other took their vows, and not only are the outfits they wore for their ceremony the classiest cosplay we’ve seen in a long time, they’re just the beginning of the wedding’s many elegantly beautiful anime-inspired touches.

USA
(anime • cosplay • crafts • manga • otaku • romance • Sailor Moon • weddings)

Artist whittles perfect animal replicas out of wood, makes own pets suspicious

Evie Nyan
Dec 5, 2014

Making replicas of your pets using a variety of mediums including their own fur seems to be a fad that’s captured the hearts of some of the more natty crafters out there. Now, we’d like to introduce you to woodworking artist and sculptor Mio Hashimoto, whose carvings are almost perfect replicas of various animals including her own pet kitty and doggy (although we think they’re starting to become a tad suspicious…)

Japan
(cats • crafts • cute • dogs • kitties • wood • woodworking)

Zelda hero Link’s other blade, the Fierce Deity Sword, brought to life in awesome video

Casey Baseel
Nov 26, 2014

While every game in Nintendo’s long-running Zelda franchise stars an elfish boy named Link who goes on a quest to save the world, each installment puts its own signature wrinkle on the formula. Wind Waker is the one with cel-shaded, storybook-like visuals. Twilight Princess is the one where Link can turn into a wolf.

And Majora’s Mask is the weird, dark one that would give little kids nightmares.

That’s not the sole distinction for title, though. Majora’s Mask is also the only place where you can see the awesome Fierce Deity Sword. Well, more accurately, it was the only place, since the awesome blade now exists in real life, too.

Japan, USA
(awesome • cool • crafts • nintendo • swords • video games • Zelda)

Beautiful video of master Japanese doll craftsman is equal parts inspiring and relaxing

Casey Baseel
Nov 6, 2014

There’s something deeply satisfying about watching someone do their job incredibly well. Whether it’s a master chef putting together a mouth-watering meal, a talented musician making an instrument come to life, or a pro athlete performing at the highest level of the sport, you find yourself unable to look away, both because of how soothing watching things go perfectly is, and also for fear of missing whatever amazing feat they’re going to pull off next.

So if you’re craving that special mixture of relaxation and inspiration, take a few minutes to watch this video of a master craftsman transforming two hunks of wood into a beautiful kokeshi doll with a literally unique twist.

Japan
(beautiful • cool • crafts • culture • dolls • toys • tradition)

A tiny, epic ode to Nintendo: Zelda and Super Mario 64’s worlds recreated as miniature dioramas

Philip Kendall
Oct 31, 2014

We all know that Japan does “small” well. Whether it’s microtechnology, tiny houses or bonsai, the Japanese are known for their dexterity and being attentive to the tiniest detail.

But a hobbyist and Niconico Douga user known simply as “A” takes attention to detail to a whole new level. In a homage to the three-dimensional worlds created by video game giants Nintendo, A has constructed an ultra-detailed diorama based on the first level of Nintendo 64 classic Super Mario 64 and even recreated the entire world map from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on a scale so small we could barely believe our eyes when we first saw it.

How small are we talking? Find out after the jump!

Japan
(crafts • diorama • Mario • miniature • model • video games • Zelda)

Yosegi wood craft — amazing in its beautiful simplicity and precision!

Kay
Oct 26, 2014

There are several traditional crafts that Japan is known for, such as urushi lacquerware or Nishijin weaving. Perhaps not as widely known, but just as impressive, is the craft of yosegi, which uses woods of different color and texture to create exquisite patterns. In fact, the precision and skill involved is such that yosegi is not surprisingly, one of the crafts that has been featured in a series of videos uploaded by luxury fashion brand Gucci Japan on their YouTube channel dedicated to introducing the work of talented Japanese craftsmen, and the video has apparently been noticed around the world. Let’s take a look at a master artisan at work!

Internet, Japan
(arts • crafts • Noboru Honma • tradition • yosegi)

“2.5D Mask” lets you spend the day as an anime character, frighten pets and small children

Philip Kendall
Oct 23, 2014

On a budget? Stuck for a Halloween outfit? How about turning yourself into a “2.5D” hero and scaring the life out of everyone you encounter with this series of free printable masks?

Join us after the jump to find out how you can become a beautiful, yet kind of creepy, manga character without spending a penny.

Japan
(2.5-D Mask • anime • crafts • manga • weird)

Kit Kat’s papercraft train set is so cool we almost don’t need the chocolate it comes with

Casey Baseel
Oct 15, 2014

Living in Japan, we’ve been kind of spoiled by all the special Kit Kat flavors the country gets. We love a sweet snack as much as anyone, but when almost every region of Japan has its own version of the chocolate wafers, it takes something a little more unusual than matcha green tea Kit Kats to really grab our attention (not that those don’t taste delicious, of course).

So Nestlé Japan’s latest plan is to give us not just something to munch on, but a cool papercraft kit too, with this special Kit Kat bundle that also lets you build a model train.

Japan
(cool • crafts • food • Kit Kat • sweets • toys)

Sapporo police speechless after discovering one man’s creative use for a bomb: a door stopper

Scott R Dixon
Oct 6, 2014

In this age of mass consumption where wasteful packaging is overused and people pour perfectly clean water over themselves for attention on the Internet, one of the best ways to counteract our increasingly wasteful society is to simply reuse items that would otherwise be headed for the dump.

But one wannabe environmentalist in Sapporo may have taken his pledge to save the earth a little bit too far when he “recycled” an old Japanese Imperial Army bomb into a rustic, and extremely dangerous, door stopper.

Japan
(bomb • crafts • dangerous • ground self defense force • Hokkaido • JGSDF • Sapporo • unexploded bomb)

Here’s how you can knit yourself a bowl of ramen【Video】

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Sep 6, 2014

Ramen is easy enough to make with a package of Cup Noodles, but knitting a bowl of hot soup takes a lot more skill. A talented artist who goes by the name betibettin on YouTube has produced a video showing us just how he accomplished this feat. You’re especially going to want to see how he makes the noodles and soup broth!