Washi Memo Pad

A trip to Tokyo is always a treat, whether be it for work or pleasure, but this particular recent trip was extra special for me…. The power of the internet enabled me to find craft classes that just so happened to coincide with the dates of my visit… The first class was an intro to metallic leafing technique called “HAKU.” It was a gold/silver leafing class, where the sheets of metallic leafs are sifted to add embellishment or to create artwork.

But even before I get into the class, I MUST share pictures of this amazing store, PIGMENT…..I’ve never seen anything like this. I felt like I walked into a museum as well as a retail store. It was designed by a famous Japanese architect , Kengo Kuma, and it is a store that primarily sells Japanese pigment used in traditional Japanese paintings. The store offers other product lines (like metallic leafs) and workshops. Some classes are offered in English as well, at an additional cost.

The hundreds of bottles of pigment along the wall is sight to see…! It was simply stunning. And, I have to say the bamboo ceiling gives the store a traditional Japanese feel, despite the modern displays.

The workshop took place in an open classroom, right in the store. Customers were curious with our projects and seemed to want to learn the technique as well. It simply was so much fun. We used a “sunako tsu tsu” which is a type of sifter, made of bamboo. We also used the traditional adhesive, and handmade Japanese brushes. My teacher has her doctorate from Kyoto University in Japanese Arts, so she was able to share a lot of history and technique in the short two hours that we had. We learned how to handle the delicate sheets of leaf, how to work with the glue and brush, and three leafing techniques. Needless to say, time passed way to quickly. We probably could’ve stayed there all afternoon….

The last picture is that of the project, courtesy of PIGMENT. I hope to participate in more classes in the future and if you ever have a chance, check this store out if you visit Tokyo. Their website is Pigment.Tokyo…..

More postings about my recent trip to Tokyo to come soon…. !