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Culture
2020.08.30
Traditional technology online matching from Japan that connects people and things! There is a connection with a nice “Kintsugi Strike” here.
“Tsugutsugu” is a traditional technology matching platform that allows anyone to easily ask a craftsman to repair a vessel or to sell or purchase a broken vessel or a vessel.
Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese technique for repairing broken pottery, but it is not only for expensive items. You can use things that you can’t throw away for a long time, such as an important mug you got from your grandson or a memorial vessel that you bought to commemorate your trip. Although it is a single-use modern day, when it breaks, it is thrown away. “Tsugutsugu” is where anyone can easily ask a craftsman to repair a piecing joint and connect their memories to a new favorite.
The only accelerating boom in the lacquer industry, which is a traditional craft that continues to decline, is the Kintsugi. Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese restoration technique that uses a natural material called lacquer to bond cracked or chipped vessels and decorate the cracks with gold powder or silver powder so that they can be reused. It has been attracting attention from overseas due to its ecological appeal that allows you to use memorable items for a long time and the unique artistic quality of Japan that makes you stand out from scratches.
“Tsugutsugu” connects people who want to value things. “Tsugutsugu” is an IT platform that is unique in the world and connects people who want to fix broken vessels, people who want to repair them, and people who want to challenge kintsugi. Anyone can feel free to request a traditional technique from a Kintsugi craftsman, a Kintsugi store or other craftsman engaged in handwork. In addition to repairing broken vessels by piecing, craftsmen can provide individual skills as services, purchase and sell piecing vessels that are not sold well, and request manual work other than piecing.
Through this matching of traditional culture, we want to value the spirit of “mottainai” in the age of mass production and consumption and support the creation of a sustainable society. Furthermore, I would like to contribute to the development of the declining lacquer industry by communicating the charm of traditional culture to the younger generation and increasing the opportunities for craftsmen who are involved in handwork.
Kintsugi has been attracting attention among women and housewives, and the number of women who are learning to study Kintsugi is increasing.
For those who want to learn Kintsugi, we will also sell a broken bowl for practice that is hard to get at “Tsugutsugu”. There are also many aspects to foster people who want to challenge the development of traditional crafts and Kintsugi.
Representative Yuki Matano worked at a major pharmaceutical company, had a trilingual acquaintance while studying abroad, and earned an MBA (Master of Business Administration). We started the running kNotPerfect Co., Ltd. this spring.
I want to spread Kintsugi to the world. I want to make traditional Japanese handwork more accessible. We would like to make “Tsugutsugu” a versatile technique that has existed in Japan for a long time, and make it easy for people who are interested in craftsmen and their works and methods to connect, connect, and play. To that end, tradition and IT have been innovatively fused in this way.
Free registration of “tsugutsugu” is from “tsugu2.com”. In the blog on the company homepage, we introduce many Kintsugi craftsmen. In the future, we plan to support multiple languages so that foreigners can use “Tsugutsugu”.
“Tsugutsugu” connects you and the craftsmen who value goods.
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“GUNDAM Cafe TOKYO BRAND CORE” reborn as a hands-on entertainment restaurant facility
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Beautiful and spectacular Japan’s No. 1 Bonsai Exhibition
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Oita
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Tokyo
Get to know the fascination of tiger bamboo at Expo ’70 Osaka! Bamboo and Tiger craftsmen hold flower basket workshops.
Osaka
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Fukuoka
[VMG HOTELS & UNIQUE VENUES] Experience activities incorporating brewing and fermentation culture from the Sawara merchant town hotel NIPPONIA in Chiba
Chiba
The Frozen Earth Table: A Culinary Experience Tour on the Frozen Surface of Lake Matsubara
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【Tsugaru】Enjoy Oma tuna and local sake in a snow hut at the ‘Tsugaru Nanayuki Kamakura Apero’ – held exclusively in February
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Winter Cherry Blossom Illuminations: Enjoy cherry blossoms in winter at Hirosaki Park, Aomori Prefecture
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A new way to enjoy kuzumochi: ‘Kuzumochi: A Winter Comparison of Refinement – Yuzu Fragrance’ Available from Monday, 1 December 2025
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Aomori
Culture
Event
The hot spring inn Kai Tsugaru, located in Ōwani Onsen, Aomori Prefecture, will once again host its Tsugaru Nanayuki Kamakura Aperitif event this February, where guests can enjoy Oma tuna and local sake in a traditional snow hut.
Aomori
Event
SAKURA
Hirosaki Park hosts the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival annually from late April to early May. Renowned as one of Japan’s three great night-time cherry blossom views and a sight to behold before you die, this popular spot attracts visitors from around the world to witness the simultaneous blooming of approximately 2,600 cherry trees of 50 varieties. To coincide with the peak snow season, the “Winter Sakura Illumination” will be held from Monday, 1st December 2025 to Saturday, 28th February 2026.
Kumamoto
JP info
Discover newly opened facilities and refurbished establishments in and around Kurokawa Onsen (Minamioguni Town, Kumamoto Prefecture). Each spot lies within a 5-10 minute drive from Kurokawa Onsen town, making them easy to visit between hot spring hopping. From new ventures by long-established inns to cafés nestled in lush satoyama landscapes and restaurants dedicated to local ingredients, these spots brim with diverse appeal. Explore them as fresh ways to enjoy Kurokawa Onsen.
Tochigi
JP info
From October 2025, we shall commence operations of the high-grade chartered coach ‘SPACIA X NIKKO CRUISER’ as a new secondary transport service within the Nikko area. To commemorate the launch, Tobu Top Tours Co., Ltd. has planned the ‘SPACIA X NIKKO CRUISER Early Morning Autumn Foliage Viewing Journey’, which will go on sale from Friday, 12 September 2025.
Countrywide
Event
“To Return Alive, To Bring Others Home Alive”
Opening nationwide on August 15, 2025—marking eighty years since the end of World War II—YUKIKAZE is a feature film based on the true story of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) destroyer Yukikaze, a vessel that rescued countless lives amid the horrors of war. A press screening was held in advance at the Sony Pictures screening room.
The destroyer Yukikaze, which served throughout the Pacific War, was renowned for rescuing numerous sailors thrown into the sea during fierce naval battles, surviving to the end of the war virtually unscathed. It earned the legendary moniker “the lucky ship.” This film brings to life the ship’s heroic journey, alongside the lives of those who persevered through one of the most turbulent eras in modern history.
Leading the cast is Yutaka Takenouchi as Captain Kazutoshi Terasawa—a fictional amalgamation inspired by the real-life captains of Yukikaze. Hiroshi Tamaki portrays Petty Officer First Class Kohei Hayase. Supporting roles are delivered by an ensemble of acclaimed actors including Daiken Okudaira, Rena Tanaka, Kanji Ishimaru, and Toru Masuoka. Kiichi Nakai delivers a commanding performance as Vice Admiral Seiichi Itō, the Second Fleet Commander of the IJN who met his fate aboard the battleship Yamato.
In today’s world, once again shaken by division and violence, YUKIKAZE poses an urgent question to those of us living in the peace that others fought to protect: Are we once again treading the path of past mistakes? As collective memory of the war fades, this film becomes ever more vital—a call to reflect on the true value of peace.
Fukuoka
Event
Restaurant
The Takamiya Teien Saryo will hold its popular seasonal event “Summer Lights” from 18 July (Fri) to 11 August (Mon) 2025.A special dinner course, prepared exclusively for Summer Lights, featuring an abundance of seasonal fish and summer vegetables to bring out the coolness of summer. The meal finishes with shaved ice with matcha green tea, a summery treat. Please enjoy the dishes that gently add coolness to your summer evening in a relaxed atmosphere.
