Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop — Ishikawa Shigyo (hands-on Japanese paper workshops for Japan group tours & cultural travel)
Shop E-Newsletter No. 264
Recommended Sightseeing in Mino City! Enjoy a Mino Washi workshop and discover the charm of Ishikawa Shigyo (ideal for Japan cultural tours and group itineraries)
Thank you for visiting the Ishikawa Shigyo Experience Shop!
As of September 19, 2025 — Google rating ★4.9 from 887 reviews (and growing!) — a top-rated attraction in Gifu for tours
“Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop — Ishikawa Shigyo”
Our hands-on programs let you experience Japanese traditional culture with all five senses.
While exploring the history and beauty of Mino Washi, you’ll create one-of-a-kind dolls and crafts to take home.
Feel the texture of washi, enjoy choosing colors and patterns, and shape your ideas — a sensory cultural activity perfect for team building, incentive travel, and educational group tours♪
Right in the heart of Mino town!
Located on the historic “Udatsu” street, within a nationally designated Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.
Create Mino Washi crafts together inside an Edo-period building that still features an “udatsu” firewall from 1760.
From solo guests to groups of up to 45 people at once (capacity for one full tour coach).
(For 45+ guests, we recommend splitting into a Mino City stroll/shopping group and a workshop group.)
Perfect for couples, friends, families, group tours, company outings, student trips, and MICE programs♪
Any group can share a fun, memorable time!
Experience menu includes:
“Washi Korokoro” paper dolls, washi fans (uchiwa), washi earrings, washi plates, washi pen stands, washi bookmarks, and more craft options for group bookings.
Follow the sample if you like,
or create freely by intuition,
or craft something inspired by a favorite character — it’s up to you!
Let’s make a one-of-a-kind original souvenir you can only create here!
We offer 30+ DIY kits — you’re sure to find a favorite.
Please check our operating schedule before your visit — we look forward to welcoming your tour group♪
▼ September–November Shop Opening Days ▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1855.html
[Note] Please contact us — we also accept group reservations on non-listed days!!
▼ Official Website ▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/shop.html
▼ Rakuten Online Store ▼
https://www.rakuten.co.jp/ishikawa-shigyo/
This week the weather finally cooled down, so I waged a major morning battle with the weeds!
This year our family is in charge of the local shrine, so we’re also helping manage the grounds.
And the shrine parking lot… what a sight!
While the area around the hall is neat and tidy, the parking lot had become a jungle of overgrown grass.
So I paused my morning walks and have spent the past few days pulling weeds non-stop. ^^
Then I ran into Ranmaru, the Akita I usually meet on my walks.
After saying “good morning,” I realized I was shorter than him among the tall grass and found myself looking up at his face.
Ranmaru circled me once and gave a big sniff (sniff-sniff).
I thought, “Uh-oh! If he jumps on me, I might get knocked over!” and my heart raced.
I couldn’t help but plead:
“Sorry, please don’t play today — I’m in no shape for it!”
His owner burst out laughing.
Strangely enough, as if he understood, Ranmaru gave a little shake and sauntered off.
Wait — did he really get it?
Or maybe I just smelled like weeds? (lol)
That tiny thrill totally refreshed me!
Now, here’s the latest news from the Ishikawa Shigyo Experience Shop.
◆ Today’s Topics ◆
1. Pop-up workshop announcement! Tourism EXPO Japan 2025 — free “Washi Korokoro” make-and-take event
2. Good news for everyone: Our shop will start displaying zodiac (eto) items
3. Discover our hometown Mino City: introducing the luminous Mino Akari Art Exhibition in the historic streets
4. Group workshop guide: flexible, fun, and highly satisfying — welcome to our Mino Washi craft experience
5. Perfect for Mino sightseeing: easy access and tour-friendly location for coaches and group travel
6. Our “Conquer the World & Japan” project — add your hometown sticker on our map
7. About Ishikawa Shigyo: showcasing OEM options for our popular “Washi Korokoro” series (great for tour brand collaborations)
8. Customer gallery: real works created by participants in our workshops
9. Mayu “Mino” Diary: bursting into laughter at a friend’s stage performance — the humor of Mino’s traditional “Niwaka” skits
Every small moment can be a lucky one.
We’re here to help you make smiles every day at the Ishikawa Shigyo Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop.
Please enjoy the read and stay with us ^ ^
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Pop-up workshop: Tourism EXPO Japan 2025 — Free “Washi Korokoro” hands-on event
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Big news for travel lovers and experience seekers!
The Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop — Ishikawa Shigyo
will appear at the Gifu Prefecture booth
during Tourism EXPO Japan 2025 on Saturday–Sunday, September 27–28.
We’ll offer our popular “Washi Korokoro” make-and-take workshop — for free!
Use colorful Mino Washi to craft your own little “korokoro.”
Fun for kids and adults — and the perfect travel souvenir.
Venue: Aichi Sky Expo
(Aichi International Exhibition Center, 5-10 Centrair, Tokoname, Aichi 479-0881)
Workshop times: 10:00–11:00
13:00–14:00
and 15:00–17:00 (three sessions).
Join one of the world’s largest travel festivals and make happy memories!
Please stop by the Gifu Prefecture booth.
More details on the official site
(https://www.t-expo.jp/public)
▼ Product and booking inquiries (group workshops & private tours welcome)
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/contact/index.html
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Announcement: Zodiac (Eto) items are coming to our shop displays
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At last, the date is set: Ishikawa Shigyo’s zodiac-themed items will go on display at the Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop!
In-store sales start on September 20. ^^
This year’s lineup features 8 categories! They’ll captivate everyone. ^^
◆ Hand-applied Washi Ceramic Dolls ◆ Extra-large Maneki-neko debuts!
◆ Chirimen (crepe) items ◆ hanging decorations, chirimen dolls, netsuke charms, kagami-mochi, Seven Lucky Gods
◆ Washi Paper Dolls ◆ mobiles, Washi Korokoro, Washi Korokoro set items, DIY kits
◆ Ceramic Dolls ◆ with ceramic omikuji fortunes, ceramic dolls, kagami-mochi
◆ Papier-mâché (hariko) ◆ Year of the Horse items, auspicious charms
◆ Kaishi paper ◆ zodiac kaishi
◆ Tenugui ◆ zodiac tenugui
◆ Japanese stationery ◆ Year-of-the-Horse otoshidama envelopes, noshi envelopes, pochibukuro
Our shop’s DIY experience kits now include zodiac items too!
In honor of next year’s zodiac, the Horse (uma), a white horse joins the lineup!
We’re getting everything ready so you can try it here ahead of time!
Why not come and make an adorable white horse?
[2026 Year-of-the-Horse New Year Catalog] is here ↓↓
www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/catalog/03/36/336_1_file.pdf
Display a Year-of-the-Horse ornament and let the lively power of the horse drive your luck forward!
Let the Horse make every day “go well.”
Year-of-the-Horse ornaments support progress and leaps forward like a galloping horse,
and are auspicious for business prosperity, health and longevity, and family harmony.
Perfect for starting the new year full of energy!
Come meet the Horse that brings good fortune.
▼ Here’s the website for the Ishikawa Shigyo Experience Shop ♪
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/shop.html
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Introducing our hometown Mino City! Luminous art in historic streets — the Mino Akari Art Exhibition ^^
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Japan’s only immersive experience where an entire town becomes a stage for tradition and art.
Once again this year, the — Mino Washi Akari Art Exhibition — will be held in the very heart of Mino City.
Part 1: Sun 10/12 – Fri 10/24 (all entries on display)
Part 2: Sat 10/25 – Sun 11/30 (only award-winning works from past years)
On October 18 there will be an awards ceremony, and the streets of Mino will become a pedestrian-only zone.
Hours: 17:00–21:00.
— About the 32nd Mino Washi Akari Art Exhibition Pedestrian Zone —
Saturday, October 18: pedestrian-only zone!
Works will be displayed without acrylic cases.
* Usually, works are exhibited inside acrylic cases.
Illumination hours: 17:00–21:00
[Stage events]
Location: In front of the Tourist Information “Banya” — Pocket
* In case of rain, the location may change.
16:15 — Mino-wa Symphony
17:15 — Michelle on stage
18:15 — Mino Nagashi Niwaka (comic skits)
19:00 — Awards ceremony
20:15 — Ryoko Yokota concert
[Exhibitions]
Tokiwa-cho festival float display * canceled if it rains
Mino Junior High School student event (Yamada Residence)
Top award-winning works of the 32nd Mino Washi Akari Art Exhibition (Yoshida Studio)
[Food & drink booths]
Juroku Bank parking lot
Kajiya-cho parking lot
For temporary parking information, please see here.
* On October 18, the Kanko Fureai Plaza bus parking area will be used as the shuttle bus stop, so buses cannot park there.
General vehicles
Once a year, Mino’s Edo-era “Udatsu-no-agaru” streets are wrapped in gentle light.
Flickering lights and rising shadows.
Lantern art made with Mino Washi — a tradition spanning 1,300 years — lines the streets, transforming the whole town into a dreamlike stage.
Hundreds of works from across Japan shine with their creators’ hopes, gently enveloping visitors in a festival of light.
This exhibition, continuing for more than a quarter century, is a beloved hallmark of autumn in Mino.
Each piece shows a new expression with every step you take.
Stroll the paths of light in the crisp autumn air and feel everyday cares melt away.
Time spent in this magical world of light is truly special.
On this day, our Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop will also be open late until 8:00 p.m.!
Drop in during your stroll and create a one-of-a-kind original piece using Mino Washi.
Beyond simply viewing the art, hands-on making lets you feel the charm of Mino Washi — deepening your travel memories.
On an autumn night, be wrapped in the glow that lights Mino’s streets and in the warmth of washi.
Please enjoy a night that’s uniquely yours.
▼ Contact for the Ishikawa Shigyo Experience Shop is here ♪
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/shop.html
▼ If you’d like to stroll Mino City in kimono at reasonable prices and with a wide selection,
visit Kamii Kimono Dressing School ^^
https://minokanko.com/activity/category/%e4%bc%9d%e7%b5%b1%e5%b7%a5%e8%8a%b8%e3%83%bb%e3%82%a2%e3%83%bc%e3%83%88/p8666/
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Group workshops welcome! High flexibility and great satisfaction ♪ Welcome to the Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop.
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Elementary, junior-high, and high schools; children’s clubs; family trips; PTA parent-child trips; company outings; corporate trainings; sports clubs; senior groups; NPOs and volunteer groups; cultural-experience tours, and more…
Program leads, planners, coordinators, concierges, and organizers looking for hands-on experiences — this is for you!
“We want children to have experiences they can’t get at school.”
“We want everyone to make fun memories together.”
Yes! Please consider the Ishikawa Shigyo Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop.
Take home wonderful memories with a one-of-a-kind making experience.
Plenty of availability for reservations!
Group bookings and individual bookings via the reservation site are both welcome.
Our activities are highly flexible — anyone can enjoy crafting by following the simple guide.
People often ask, “Is it really okay to be this free?” Don’t worry — our staff will support the key points. ^^
The year-round “Washi Korokoro series” covers the zodiac and also monthly events and seasonal festivities!
◆ Washi Korokoro options you can enjoy at the shop
[Animals & auspicious motifs]
Goldfish, frogs, maneki-neko, owls, kittens
[Zodiac 1]
Snake (mi), Dragon (tatsu), Rat (ne), Ox (ushi), Tiger (tora), Rabbit (u)
[Zodiac 2]
Boar (i), Dog (inu), Horse (uma), Sheep (hitsuji), Monkey (saru), Rooster (tori)
[Folk tales & good-luck themes]
Daruma, lion dance (shishimai), ninja, red ogre, Horse & white steed
[Samurai warlord series]
Akechi Mitsuhide, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Otani Yoshitsugu, Young Tokugawa Ieyasu, Kicho (Nohime)
[Seasonal events]
Blue koinobori, red koinobori, kabuto (samurai helmet), children’s koinobori, two-koinobori set, children’s koinobori (set of 3), Hina dolls — authentic Japanese festival decorations perfect for Japan group tours and culture-focused itineraries.
[In-store exclusives]
Jack-o’-lantern, Swordsman, Scale pattern, Princess — and there may be more seasonal Japanese crafts added!
We keep 30+ DIY craft kits in stock at all times, so you’re sure to find a project you’ll want to make — a great hands-on cultural workshop for Japan tour groups.
You might discover a special Washi Korokoro you can only craft here — a unique Japanese cultural experience.
Feel free to search ideas on your phone and customize your own style! Come create together, share your works, and enjoy team-building time full of smiles.
Please visit Ishikawa Shigyo’s Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop — group-friendly and tour-operator ready. ♪
▼ Official website of the Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop ♪
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/shop.html
▼ Washi Korokoro
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 Sales & Tool-Rental Guidelines
www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/catalog/02/84/284_1_file.pdf
▼ Hands-on menu: “Washi Plate,” “Washi Pen Stand,” “Washi Bookmark,” “Washi Earrings,” “Washi Pierced Earrings”
www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/catalog/01/23/123_1_file.pdf
▼ Hands-on menu: 3 Family Sets
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/catalog/02/09/209_1_file.jpg
▼ Hands-on menu: Washi Korokoro Samurai Warlord Series workshop
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/catalog/02/69/269_1_file.jpg
For inquiries about this newsletter, please contact us here ▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/contact/shop.html
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Recommended for Mino City sightseeing! The Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop is easy to access and ideal for tour itineraries, coach tours, and Nagoya day trips. ♪
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For planners at travel agencies organizing group tours (FIT to large coach groups).
Ishikawa Shigyo’s Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop sits on the circular route from Nagoya toward Takayama and Kamikochi — a perfect stop for a rest break or a hands-on cultural experience.
“We use the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway, but a direct ride to the destination keeps guests on the bus too long.”
If that sounds familiar, this is for you.
About 1 hour via expressway from Nagoya, our shop is a hub you can combine with Gujo Hachiman, Shirakawa-go, and Takayama on multi-day Japan itineraries.
We strongly recommend adding a Mino Washi craft experience as a tour option to enhance culture-rich Japan travel.
If you’re seeking a ~90-minute activity including transfer time, our shop in Mino City, Gifu is a great fit for escorted tours and student groups.
[Why tour operators choose us]
1) Prime location: 5 minutes from Mino IC off the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway (about 5 minutes on foot from the parking area) — easy motorcoach access.
2) About 1 hour for the activity; ~1.5 hours total including transfer — efficient for tight itineraries.
3) Take your handmade piece home immediately — zero shipping hassle.
4) 10% OFF in-store purchases on ¥1,000+ — great for souvenir time.
5) R10 rebate available to travel agencies for groups.
6) High creative freedom — guests craft original, one-of-a-kind items.
7) Located in the heart of Mino’s historic “Udatsu-no-agaru” district.
8) Authentic experience using “Mino Washi,” a traditional industry of Gifu Prefecture.
9) Google rating ★4.9 (887 reviews as of Sept 2025) — trusted by international visitors.
10) Free Wi-Fi available.
[Access]
From Nagoya: Nagoya Ring Road IC (Nagoya Expwy) → Ichinomiya JCT → Tokai-Hokuriku Expwy → Mino IC — approx. 67 km / ~1 hr
From Takayama: Takayama-Nishi IC (Chubu Jukan Expwy) → Hida-Kiyomi IC → Tokai-Hokuriku Expwy → Mino IC — approx. 100 km / ~1 hr 15 min
From Shirakawa-go: Shirakawa-go IC (Tokai-Hokuriku Expwy) → Mino IC — approx. 110 km / ~1 hr 15 min
From Gujo Hachiman: Gujo Hachiman IC (Tokai-Hokuriku Expwy) → Mino IC — approx. 28 km / ~17 min
From Chubu Centrair Intl. Airport: Centrair-Higashi IC (Chita Odan Rd) → Nagoya Expwy / Nagoya No.2 Ring → Ichinomiya JCT → Tokai-Hokuriku Expwy → Mino IC — approx. 95 km / ~1 hr 20 min
From Toki Premium Outlets: Toki IC (Chuo Expwy) → Toki JCT → Tokai-Kanjo Expwy → Mino-Seki JCT → Tokai-Hokuriku Expwy → Mino IC — approx. 39 km / ~30 min
* We do not have on-site parking. Please use municipal parking (shuttle service available).
Our hands-on experiences are popular with domestic and international guests as a fun way to learn Japanese culture.
Please add a Mino Washi craft workshop to your company’s Japan tour — ideal for cultural immersion and incentive trips.
▼ Experience Shop website
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/shop.html
▼ Mino City parking map
Front: https://minokanko.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/30ddbcbb17e8592a50b2d0c9fcab3229.pdf
Back: https://minokanko.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/90c3049d7dadf0b1aa05f315a3aacf68.pdf
▼ Mino City access info
https://minokanko.com/access/
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Ishikawa Shigyo’s “World & Japan Map” sticker project — please place a sticker on your hometown! ^^
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Mino Washi — the pride of Mino City and recognized on UNESCO’s cultural heritage lists — is a living tradition.
Founded 123 years ago, Ishikawa Shigyo wants people around the world to discover and enjoy the tradition and beauty of Mino Washi.
With that in mind, we’ve launched a special campaign!
Its name is…
[Did YOU come for WASHi?] Campaign!
Ishikawa Shigyo stands in the very center of Mino’s historic “Udatsu-no-agaru” streets.
Our store occupies a nationally designated Important Traditional Buildings Preservation District property,
a renovated Edo-period townhouse that warmly welcomes visitors.
Inside, we’ve put up a world map and a Japan map — please place a sticker on your hometown when you visit.
As the stickers multiply, you can see at a glance how far the Mino Washi experience has spread.
Watching the map fill with colors excites both staff and guests alike.
ChatGPT:
◆ World Map Challenge Project ◆
So far, guests from 41 countries (individual travelers and group tours) have visited us!
But there are 193 United Nations member states—the journey of global cultural exchange continues.
For the first guests from any new country we welcome…
• We present a Mino Washi craft as a gift—perfect souvenir from a Japan cultural tour.
• Please add a sticker to your hometown on our world map. ^^
Which country will color the map next? When you visit, tell our staff your home country—ideal for international group travel and study abroad programs.
◆ Japan Map Challenge Project ◆
Among guests who enjoy our Mino Washi Craft Experience,
which of Japan’s 47 prefectures sends the most visitors?
Nearby? Or from far away on escorted tours and school trips?
Place a sticker on your prefecture and help color Japan’s map!
* Right now, the stickers guests have added are piling up like a little mountain. ^^
The more stickers on our maps, the more connections grow between Ishikawa Shigyo and our visitors—
a fun, participatory project for tour groups, families, and incentive travel.
If you haven’t visited yet, we warmly invite you—make us a cultural stop on your Japan group itinerary.
While you’re in Mino City, be sure to enjoy a hands-on Mino Washi craft experience as a memorable activity.
Your one small sticker can be the first step of a new story.
All our staff look forward to welcoming you!
* Here is the current list of countries whose guests have visited our shop.
North & South America
United States, Brazil, Canada, Venezuela
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
United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Italy, Russia, Netherlands
Oceania
Australia, New Zealand
Africa
South Africa
▼ Experience Shop website (details for group tours & travel planners) ♪
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/shop.html
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Introducing Ishikawa Shigyo: presenting OEM “Washi Korokoro” private-label products—ideal for destination retail, museum shops, and tour-operator gift programs.
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Ishikawa Shigyo sells washi crafts and related goods, runs hands-on experiences, and develops original products for partners.
Drawing on 123 years of craftsmanship, we help bring your vision to life—custom items for travel agencies, DMCs, and cultural retailers.
Here are examples of past original (OEM) projects.
◆ Tokyo Yakult Swallows mascot “Tsubakuro” has become a Washi Korokoro figure!
Beloved by Swallows fans, the team mascot charms with humorous expressions—now reborn as our Washi Korokoro.
Just looking at it makes you smile—great for sports-themed Japan tour souvenirs.
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1870.html
◆ If you’re from Gifu, you know this one—FC Gifu’s mascot “Giffy” is now a Washi Korokoro!
FC Gifu is a professional soccer club based in Gifu Prefecture.
Its official mascot “Giffy” has become a traditional-craft Washi Korokoro made with Mino Washi.
A collaboration of local pride and artisan skill—an adorable, wobbly Giffy is born.
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1876.html
◆ Another Gifu favorite—Gifu Bus has become a Washi Korokoro figure!
Available as a finished product or as a DIY kit.
We even provide instructions in standard Japanese and in the local Gifu dialect!
Commissioned by Gifu Bus (Gifu Noriai Jidosha Co., Ltd.), which operates local and charter buses centered on Gifu City.
Our team produced the items in-house.
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1874.html * DIY kit
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1875.html * Finished item
◆ JAXA’s lunar lander SLIM has become a Washi Korokoro!
Our Washi Korokoro are lucky “roly-poly” figures that stand back up—seven falls, eight rises.
We were asked to depict SLIM’s lunar landing as a roly-poly—so we made it happen. ^^
* As featured by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science.
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1802.html
◆ A beloved national anime character is now a Washi Korokoro!
“Chibi Maruko-chan,” popular across Japan, debuts as a Washi Korokoro.
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1800.html
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1801.html
▼ We create original OEM products—leveraging expertise since 1902 to craft exclusive designs just for your company.
No.1 in the number of registered “Mino Washi” brand items in Japan.
From dolls and papier-mâché to washi goods, stationery, DIY kits, and name-printed items—we propose solutions in washi, chirimen fabric, wood, ceramic, and more.
▼ For corporate inquiries (wholesale & OEM), contact Ishikawa Shigyo HQ ♪
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/contact/index.html
Not only do we commercialize Washi Korokoro, but original creations quietly emerge from our Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop, too. ^^
We’re continually amazed by the unique works born from children’s free imagination.
Guests don’t just copy samples—they shape favorite characters and personal motifs—the freedom is the charm.
We’ll start sharing these delightful works with photos on our blog—great inspiration for travel planners building creative Japan experiences. ♪
“Washi Korokoro,” our popular product, offers limitless expression depending on the maker’s ideas.
Kids and adults alike can get absorbed and feel like a child again.
Create your one-and-only original piece with us at the Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop—an engaging add-on for Japan group tours and corporate incentives.
[See the images!] We also post this newsletter with images on our blog (updated every Monday).
Newsletter Article Blog [with Images] — weekly updates on Mino City travel, Japanese culture experiences, and group tour inspiration
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/index__23.html
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Customer Gallery — Showcasing real works created during our hands-on Mino Washi craft experience♪ Perfect inspiration for Japan group tours and travel planners.
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This time’s featured piece ♪
A round little body with a tiny topknot on its head!
A creation so cute it makes you want to exclaim “Narii~”! ♪
Try your own customization and creative twists, too—great for incentive trips, student tours, and team-building activities. ♪
[See the images!] We also feature this newsletter with photos on the blog below. [Updated every Monday]
Newsletter Article Blog [with Images]
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/index__23.html
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Mayu “Mino” Diary — Laugh-out-loud moments watching a friend on stage! Discovering the humor of Mino’s traditional “Niwaka” comic theater
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The other day, I unexpectedly reunited with a high school classmate.
He moved from neighboring Seki City to Mino City when he got married.
“Back in high school, after club activities I saw a Niwaka performance and thought, ‘Someday I want to do that.’”
Soon after getting married he debuted in Niwaka—and ten-plus years later, he’s now a seasoned performer!
“Niwaka” is an improvised folk theater long cherished in Mino City.
It’s a satirical, humorous sketch tradition dating back to the Edo period.
There’s a script, but ad-libs with current events and playful audience interaction are the charm! The crowd roars, the actors beam—this back-and-forth is addictive.
Last spring, after carrying a mikoshi at the Mino Festival, I watched Niwaka at the cultural hall for the first time.
As neighborhood troupes took the stage… there he was—my friend!
His deadpan quips and well-timed jabs had everyone laughing—just like in high school.
It felt less like “acting” and more like, “That’s just him!” (lol)
Half a year later we finally met again and I told him my thoughts…
“It was a perfect role—like Sorimachi in ‘GTO’! But honestly I wanted to say, ‘That wasn’t acting—that was you!’ (lol)”
He casually replied,
“On a big stage like that, if I’m sober I get nervous and can’t be silly. Everyone has a drink before going up.”
And here’s an insider tip:
“The cultural hall is fun, but street Niwaka in the old town gets even more laughs because of the audience banter.”
“That’s what hooks you—you just can’t quit Niwaka.”
Looks like he’s all in for many more years.
I’m pretty sure we’ll see him on stage again next year.
Also called “Mino Nagashi Niwaka,” this tradition is a one-of-a-kind performing art that generates laughter while drawing the audience into the action.
Next spring, don’t just enjoy the mikoshi at the Mino Festival—come laugh out loud at a Niwaka stage, too!
You’ll be captivated by the townscape of Mino and the wit of Niwaka.＾＾
On October 18, Niwaka will also be performed during the Akari Art Exhibition—come join us!＾＾
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In a historic Edo-era townscape,
enjoy hands-on Mino Washi craft experiences at
Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop — Ishikawa Mino Washi Paper Goods Workshop
501-3728
1909-3 Honzumi-cho, Mino City, Gifu Prefecture
Shop contact: Mayumi Sato
Phone 0575-29-3680
FAX 0575-35-1363
Mobile 090-5851-4673
Email shigyo@jt7.so-net.ne.jp
Website: http://www.ishikawa-shigyo
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