Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo
Shop Newsletter No. 249
Enjoy hands-on creativity in Mino, Gifu—our “Washi Korokoro” workshop and other Mino-washi craft experiences are visitor favorites!
Thank you for stopping by the Ishikawa Shigyo Craft Experience Shop!
Google Reviews ★4.9 (816 posts) updated 30 May 2025
“Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo”
is located in the nationally protected “Udatsu-rise” historic district.
The building dates back to 1760 in the Edo period and still boasts its original udatsu firewalls.
Why not create your very own Mino-washi craft together with family, friends, or colleagues? ♪
Solo travelers, couples, friends, families, group tours, company outings—everyone is welcome!
Groups of up to 45 people can enjoy the workshop at the same time. ^^
Our experience menu includes:
Washi Korokoro dolls, washi fans, washi earrings & piercings, washi plates, washi pen-stands, washi bookmarks, and more ♪
Follow the samples or trust your own inspiration—
make a one-of-a-kind souvenir that exists nowhere else in the world!
Choose from 30-plus craft kits.
Please check our opening schedule and drop in—we can’t wait to meet you! ♪
▼ June–August Shop Opening Calendar▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1710.html
【Note】 We also accept group reservations on non-business days!
▼ Official Website▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/shop.html
▼ Rakuten EC Store▼
https://www.rakuten.co.jp/ishikawa-shigyo/
Right now Ishikawa Shigyo is busy developing new zodiac-themed products for 2026!
We’ve mapped out the full year and are introducing items to customers as they’re completed. ^^
Of course, next year’s Horse-year items will line our shop as the season approaches.
For now, our shelves are filled with this year’s Snake-year lineup.
A guest recently told us, “Now I finally have all twelve animals!” while choosing a Snake holding a ceremonial arrow. If you’re looking for auspicious zodiac gifts, visit Ishikawa Shigyo!
That’s the news—let’s dive into today’s Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop newsletter!
◆Today’s Highlights◆
• Introducing Ishikawa Shigyo! A brand-new Washi Korokoro featuring next year’s white horse zodiac—available as both a kit and an in-store experience, plus insider tips on the charm of Washi Korokoro ♪
• Customer Gallery—real creations from recent workshop guests ♪
• Our hometown, Mino City! Discover why Mino Washi is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage ♪
• Planning a tour of central Japan? Our shop is just off the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway—perfect for a rest stop between Takayama, Shirakawa-go, and Nagoya! ♪
• Group coordinators: flexible, fuss-free workshops guarantee smiles—learn how our experience programs satisfy large parties!
• Special-needs schools & disability support organizations—see our inclusive service packages.
• 38 countries and counting! Join our “World Tour” campaign and help us welcome guests from every nation.
• Mayu “Mino” Diary—makeover time! See the dreamy glow-in-the-dark wall art we created for the bedroom ^^
Moments of manifold happiness—
Our mission is to spark your biggest smiles with authentic Japanese craft experiences at Ishikawa Shigyo.
Stay with us and enjoy the read! ^ ^
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Discover Ishikawa Shigyo! Our newest Washi Korokoro for the 2026 Horse Year—meet the charming white stallion! Feel free to craft one yourself, and let us share the hidden appeal of Washi Korokoro dolls ♪
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Instead of introducing a guest this time, we have exciting in-house news to share!
A brand-new member has joined the Washi Korokoro family this year.
Say hello to the White Horse of the coming zodiac!
▼ Related Washi Korokoro White Horse items ▼
The larger White Horse kit will be available for hands-on workshops starting this autumn—come craft your own adorable steed!
Fun fact: Not every Washi Korokoro produced by Ishikawa Shigyo is released as a retail kit.
Washi Korokoro comes in many shapes and delights fans worldwide.
Over the years, companies seeking private-label souvenirs and OEM promotional gifts have commissioned us to create unique licensed designs. Here are just a few highlights:
◆ Tokyo University of Foreign Studies official mascot goods turned into Washi Korokoro dolls!!
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1734.html
◆ On sale at Expo 2025 Osaka!! A beloved national anime icon reborn as a Washi Korokoro doll!!
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1722.html
Beyond headline collaborations, countless original designs quietly spring to life in our own Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop, thanks to the boundless creativity of young visitors!
Children’s inventiveness often surprises us—look for future blog posts where we’ll showcase their one-of-a-kind pieces ♪
Washi Korokoro—a top-selling Japanese souvenir, perfect for corporate importers seeking wholesale traditional gifts—is limited only by the maker’s imagination. Try it for yourself!
Give it a go and see why global buyers love these compact, handcrafted keepsakes.
▼ Craft-shop homepage (English auto-translation) ▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/shop.html
▼ Contact Ishikawa Shigyo (import & wholesale inquiries welcome) ▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/contact/shop.html
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= Customer Gallery = Here are some creations made by recent guests ♪
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Today’s spotlight…
Wait—do we even sell a yellow Washi Korokoro? Someone pulled up a character that looks a lot like a certain veggie hero from a famous game!
It may look simple, but it’s an impressive DIY masterpiece.
Feel free to put your own spin on any kit and unleash your creativity ♪
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Our town Mino City! Introducing the UNESCO-listed heritage of which we’re proud ♪
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Learn about Gifu’s regional industries and culture—Mino Washi is our shining star.
Mino Washi was registered by UNESCO in 2014 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage under “Washi, craftsmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paper.”
Recognition year 2014
Inscription “Washi, craftsmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paper”
Coverage Three production areas:
1. Mino City, Gifu (Hon-Mino Paper)
2. Hamada City, Shimane (Sekishu Paper)
3. Ogawa & Higashi-Chichibu, Saitama (Hosokawa Paper)
Key points of evaluation
• 1,300 years of sustainable mulberry cultivation & hand-papermaking techniques
• A satokawa (“village-river”) industry that preserves local ecosystems
• Versatile modern applications—from shoji screens to art conservation—boosting global demand for Mino Washi
Learn the history of Mino Washi or try hands-on papermaking at the Mino Washi Museum!
◆ Mino Washi no Sato Kaikan
https://www.city.mino.gifu.jp/minogami/
Stroll the historic Udatsu-lined streets—visit old paper-wholesaler townhouses and modern Washi light-art installations:
◆ Former Imai Residence & Mino History Museum
https://minokanko.com/seeing/category/history-culture/p5974/
◆ Akari (Washi Lantern) Art Hall
https://minokanko.com/seeing/category/townscape-architecture/p5976/
Want to enjoy the streetscape even more?
◆ Kimono Rental & Dressing Experience (Kami-i Kitsuke School)
https://minokanko.com/activity/category/伝統工芸・アート/p8666/
◆ Volunteer guides for groups of 10 or more can be arranged ♪
https://minokanko.com/news/news/p6710/
When you’re ready to craft a one-of-a-kind washi keepsake, visit our Ishikawa Shigyo Craft Experience Shop!
◆ Shop Homepage (English auto-translation)
◆ Inquiries & corporate bulk orders
Ishikawa Shigyo Co., Ltd. has been intertwined with Mino Washi for 123 years since 1902.
Today, we leverage our wholesale heritage and craftsmanship to offer immersive workshops inside a 1760 Edo-era townhouse—an officially protected property in the Udatsu district—delivering authentic cultural experiences to visitors from Japan and abroad.
◆ Company History
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/company.html
Since 1902, Ishikawa Shigyo Co., Ltd. has been working with Mino Washi in Mino City for 123 years.
In recent years we have moved beyond wholesale to create hands-on craft kits that showcase our hard-won expertise. In the heart of Mino’s historic Udatsu merchant quarter—an Edo-period townhouse (built 1760, nationally protected) that still boasts its original fire-wall “udatsu”—we welcome visitors from Japan and around the world to an authentic Mino Washi cultural experience.
◆Learn more about the history of Ishikawa Shigyo.
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/company.html
Inside our shop you’ll find a curated selection of the very best items from the 1,000-plus Mino Washi products we manufacture and distribute.
Perfect for inbound group tours!
The ultimate “Made-in-Japan” souvenir!
Bring Japan’s seasons and culture into your home or itinerary with practical, display-worthy Mino Washi goods from Ishikawa Shigyo.
※For groups of fewer than 20 people, visits on non-business days incur an additional facility fee.
Please contact us for details.
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Planning sightseeing in Mino City? Our Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop is easy to reach!
Centrally located in Japan—ideal for a comfort stop on any Nagoya ⇄ Takayama/Kamikōchi coach itinerary.
Just minutes from the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway Mino I.C.—drop in and recharge!
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Attention tour planners creating fixed-departure Japan packages:
Our craft studio is perfectly positioned on the route between Nagoya and Takayama, or Nagoya and Kamikōchi.
“The drive on the expressway is too long without a break”—if that sounds familiar,
consider adding a 1-hour Mino Washi workshop at our shop, conveniently one hour from Nagoya and en-route to Gujo Hachiman, Shirakawa-go, and Takayama.
Why choose us?
1. Only five minutes from Mino I.C. to parking, five minutes on foot to the shop.
2. Workshop time: under one hour—ideal for time-sensitive itineraries.
3. Take your handcrafted souvenir home immediately.
4. R10 commission rebate for travel agencies.
5. Participants get 10% off in-store purchases over ¥1,000.
6. Fully creative, open-ended projects—design your own original!
7. Located in the scenic Udatsu Historic District of Mino City.
8. Create authentic crafts using locally made Mino Washi, an official Japanese traditional industry.
9. Google rating ★4.9 (816 reviews, updated May 30 2025)—proof of high guest satisfaction.
Let Ishikawa Shigyo turn your stopover into a memorable Japan cultural immersion workshop for both overseas and domestic travelers. Create something unique and fall in love with your own handiwork!
【Access to Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop】
We look forward to welcoming you!
※No private parking on-site. Please use the municipal car park—we’ll meet your group there.
▼Mino Map (municipal parking)
Packed with charming, hand-drawn local tips!
[Front]
https://minokanko.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/30ddbcbb17e8592a50b2d0c9fcab3229.pdf
[Back]
https://minokanko.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/90c3049d7dadf0b1aa05f315a3aacf68.pdf
▼Travel-agent–ready access info and parking guide:
https://minokanko.com/access/
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Looking for creative, high-satisfaction group activities? Our flexible Mino Washi workshops tick every box.
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Ideal for schools (elementary to high), youth groups, family holidays, PTA trips, corporate retreats, training seminars, sports clubs, senior clubs, NGOs, volunteer organizations, and cultural tour operators.
Teachers, planners, coordinators, concierges—talk to us today!
Give kids a hands-on experience beyond the classroom.
Create unforgettable team memories together.
Yes! Ishikawa Shigyo’s Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop is the answer.
You’ll leave with a wonderful “monozukuri” memory.
Plenty of slots are still available.
We welcome both group reservations and individual bookings made through our online system ^ ^
At Ishikawa Shigyo, workshops such as our popular “Washi Korokoro” series are easy for anyone, yet full of creative freedom.
“Is that really all the instructions?”
“Can it be that open-ended?”
Guests often ask us these questions.
We clearly explain the key points you mustn’t miss, and then—using an illustrated guide—encourage everyone to finish their pieces however they like ^^
Visit the shop and our staff will gladly lend a hand whenever needed ^^
The year-round Washi Korokoro Series lets you craft your own zodiac animal, but we also offer designs for each month’s festival or season ^^
Here are the items that sell best in each season ^^
January Zodiac animals, Setsubun (Red Ogre)
February Hinamatsuri dolls
March Easter (bunnies)
April Samurai Dolls & Koinobori
May Warlords & Princesses
June Frogs & Goldfish
July Create your own Uchiwa fan
August Create your own Uchiwa fan
September Halloween
October Cute animals (sheep, Shiba-inu, cats, etc.)
November Cute animals (sheep, Shiba-inu, cats, etc.)
December Twelve-year zodiac set, Daruma, Maneki-neko
We also stock many items from our Good-Luck & Auspicious Series and History Series (Samurai & Princess) all year long.
You might even discover special, shop-exclusive Washi Korokoro designs available nowhere else!
Beat the heat—enjoy crafting together in our cool, air-conditioned studio♪
Make memories with friends in a setting that’s out of the ordinary♪
With 30-plus DIY kits always in stock, something is sure to catch every child’s “I-want-to-make-it!” radar ^^
Have your own idea? Feel free to search paper-craft inspirations on your phone and customize away ^^
Show off your team’s creations to each other and celebrate your individual styles.
We can’t wait to see you at the Ishikawa Shigyo Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop♪
▼Visit our Craft-Experience homepage here♪
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/shop.html
▼Washi Korokoro catalogue
www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/catalog/00/82/82_1_file.pdf
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/catalog/02/87/287_1_file.png
▼Washi Earrings DIY Kit: Tool-Rental Guidelines
www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/catalog/02/84/284_1_file.pdf
▼Hands-on menu: Washi Plates, Pen-stands, Bookmarks, Earrings & Pierced Earrings
www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/catalog/01/23/123_1_file.pdf
▼Family-set DIY menu (3 types)
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/catalog/02/09/209_1_file.jpg
▼Samurai-Series Washi Korokoro DIY menu
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/catalog/02/69/269_1_file.jpg
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Supporting special-needs schools and accessibility—introducing our inclusive service plan.
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For special-needs schools and care facilities we now offer:
• One free turn on our ¥300 gacha capsule machine (per group).
• 40 % off in-store shopping practice (workshops excluded).
Our craft menu involves no difficult steps; anyone can create a wonderful piece.
(Washi Korokoro, Uchiwa fans, Bookmarks, Washi Plates, Pen-stands)
Simply cut pre-printed patterns, paste, and voilà—your one-and-only masterpiece ^ ^
Follow your inspiration or copy the sample—it’s up to you!
Choose the paper, apply glue, press—repeat and enjoy!
Teachers and coordinators of special-needs schools or after-school day services—please get in touch!
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“Wait—people from this many countries have visited already? We’re aiming even higher!” Join our new World Conquest Campaign now in progress!
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We are grateful to see more and more overseas guests booking our workshops ♪
But we still want visitors from even more countries!
That’s why we launched our campaign:
“Shoot for Global Conquest—Come and Washi at Ishikawa Shigyo ^^”
When you visit, please tell our staff your home country.
If no one from your nation has visited before, we’ll gift your group a uniquely Japanese Ishikawa Shigyo product ^^
There are 193 U.N. member states worldwide.
Help our Mino Washi Craft Shop conquer them all!
We’ll keep evolving so everyone can enjoy our store!
We have welcomed guests from 38 countries so far (individuals & groups)!
Countries visited so far:
Americas
USA, Brazil, Canada
Asia
Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, China, Timor-Leste, Nepal, India, Israel, Cambodia, Laos, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Pakistan, Malaysia
Europe
U.K., France, Germany, Poland, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Italy
Oceania
Australia, New Zealand
and more.
Next, we’ll strive to cover every prefecture in Japan as well—stay tuned for our upcoming domestic campaign!
Keep an eye on Ishikawa Shigyo’s Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop ^^
▼For cultural exchanges with international students and foreign workers▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_672_0_0.html
Currently, Mino City Hall’s Mino Washi Promotion Section is conducting an inbound survey, collecting feedback from overseas visitors to make Mino even more attractive—please look forward to the results!
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Mayu “Mino” Diary Remodeling our bedroom wall? See the lovely glow-in-the-dark art we created ^^
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I share a bedroom with my daughter.
Luminous motifs sparkle across the walls.
When she was a preschooler she often couldn’t fall asleep, bouncing around playfully while sleepy Mom just wanted rest…
The glow-stars saved us.
“Let’s turn it into night!” Switch off the lights and a starry sky appears.
We invented funny constellations—Mom Planet and Daughter Planet—battles and alliances alike.
Under that sky I’d whisper all the nice things about her until—who knows—she finally slept or played more. Those are precious memories.
Recently we renewed that wall! With new glow-items we each decorated our own section ^^
We even connected our two panels with a rainbow-like bridge!
On restless nights we can gaze at our handmade sky and chat again ^^
For newsletter inquiries, contact us here ▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/contact/shop.html
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Hands-on Mino Washi crafts in Edo-era streets
Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo
〒501-3728
1909-3 Motodzumi-cho, Mino City, Gifu Pref.
Shop Manager Mayumi Sato
Tel 0575-29-3680
Fax 0575-35-1363
Mobile 090-5851-4673
Email shigyo@jt7.so-net.ne.jp
HP: http://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/
Feel free to reach out ♪
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http://ishikawa-shigyo.com/acmailer9/reg.cgi?reg=del&email=shigyo@jt7.so-net.ne.jp
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Media coverage
We’re grateful for the attention—come and visit!
▼TV Tokyo “Can I Recharge Here?” feature
Handmade Washi Doll Workshop, Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo (with Yayoko Kumada)
https://youtu.be/S8nqVqxGoiI
▼NHK “Marutto! Gifu” Washi Uchiwa Workshop
Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo, Historic Udatsu Streets, Mino City
https://youtu.be/Pn995x3oX9Q
Gifu Channel “Meccha Gifu Wakaru TV”▼
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKiDL8-xf_w
▼Mino Washi Home Town—Discover Mino City (Mino Tourism Assoc.)
Our shop is listed under “Experiences → Mino Washi”
https://www.minokanko.com/index.php
▼“Pure Streams of Gifu” News Letter—our products featured!
(Gifu Pref. Tourism Resource Development Press Release)
Our Washi Kabuto décor highlighted as “A New Shape of Mino Washi.”
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000017.000143336.html
▼Official website▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/shop.html
▼Rakuten online store▼
https://www.rakuten.co.jp/ishikawa-shigyo/
▼Latest shop news▼
NEW! March–May opening days
【Please note】 Group bookings are accepted even on days outside the calendar above!
We wholesale to souvenir shops, lifestyle-goods retailers, department stores, e-commerce platforms, doll shops, ceramic and lacquerware stores, stationery & bookstores, kimono dealers, tea manufacturers, confectionery and food producers, specialty paper stores, shrines & temples, florists, event planners, paper museums, general museum shops, international export wholesalers, overseas retailers, advertising agencies, promotional-goods suppliers, commemorative-item vendors, handicraft stores, hobby shops and washi boutiques. Direct factory pricing available for bulk orders and private-label programs.
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We received another color-change order this year. A simple color swap gives a whole new vibe!
■ Free product profiles, catalogs, and images to support your sales.
Monchhichi × Washi Korokoro blog ↓ 
We have compiled a blog showcasing past OEM projects by Ishikawa Shigyo!
