Japanese Culture and Traditional Craft
Japan is known worldwide for its traditional culture and traditional craft. Origami, kimono, or summer festivals are some of the items and events which are general knowledge about Japan.
In fact, Japanese culture and traditional crafts have a long tradition and history. This is a source of fascination and curiosity, but also a source of misunderstanding.
From daily life cultural items and events to crafted artisan goods, Japanese creators excel at the art of creation. To let the world know more about Japanese craftsmen, their high quality products, the traditional techniques and rich cultural context behind the products, we have created the shop TSUKUTTE-YA.
TSUKUTTE-YA is an online store that deliver a wide range of "Japanese Cultural Discovery Kit" designed by Japanese creators for "Experiencing Japanese Culture From Home".
Our philosophy
We believe we all have the desire to keep learning in our daily life and there is much to be learned from Japanese culture. Through TSUKUTTE-YA, we want people who experience our DIY kits to touch Japanese culture and feel connected with the creators and having access to a wide range of information.
This shop presents Japanese culture in the shape of DIY kits for people who cannot experience traditional craft and culture directly in Japan. We also want to support our Japanese creators to pass over the hurdle of foreign languages and reach an international audience. Therefore, "MADE IN JAPAN" and "JAPANESE QUALITY" is a must for every DIY kits of our shop.
The store name "TSUKUTTE-YA" is written 創ってや in Japanese. "TSUKUTTE" can be translated by "create-it" or "make it". "YA" is from the Kansai dialect spoken in our city Osaka and is used to add a nuance of a friendly encouragement. By "making", therefore by touching the materials, you can experience and understand to the fullest Japanese culture and Japanese craft.
We believe that through a creative activity we can connect the world, connect the makers and the creators, and participate to the sharing of knowledge about Japan.
Our logo
The shape of our logo is a house which represent the experiencing of Japanese culture from home.
On the left side of the house, the blue sea and waves pattern called seigaiha（青海波）, an ancestral Japanese motif, represent power and resistance. For TSUKUTTE-YA shop the blue sea and waves pattern, which design has been redrawn by our designer, also represent Japanese culture crossing the seas with the aim of reaching your homes. Within the different writing possibilities for the translation of the verb "create", we chose the kanji (character) 創 which has an artistic nuance.
The center of the house, the hand grabbing the Japanese writing of TSUKUTTE-YA, 創ってや, represent the core of our shop : the DIY creative activity. The experience of manual activity allows you to use your hands, feel the materials between your fingers and having the satisfaction of creating something with your hands.
On the right side of the house, the cherry blossom・sakura（桜）, the sun・taiyou（太陽）, and Mount Fuji・fuji-san（富士山） are the symbols representing Japan. The sun is filled by the shippo pattern（七宝柄）, an ancestral Japanese motif. With the overlapping circles represent prosperity, good relationship and harmony. For TSUKUTTE-YA shop the pattern represent our will to build a harmonious relationship between makers and the creators, Japan and the world.