February 09, 2026 |
This February, Watanabe Bookbinding will be exhibiting at the Nippori Craft Festival – “Takumi no Waza Exhibition”, a two-day event celebrating traditional Japanese craftsmanship in Arakawa, Tokyo.
The festival brings together artisans recognized under the Arakawa Brand, a designation given to skilled makers who continue the area’s long-standing manufacturing traditions. Visitors can enjoy live demonstrations, workshops, cultural experiences, and the opportunity to purchase handmade products directly from the makers.
Admission is free, and the event is open to everyone, including international visitors interested in Japanese craftsmanship and design.
Dates: February 20 (Fri) – February 21 (Sat)
Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Venue: Furatto Nippori, Higashi-Nippori, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo
The festival offers a wide variety of experiences for everyone.
Artisans from diverse fields will be there, including:
Traditional woodblock prints
Lantern making
Metalwork
Leather goods
Accessories
Framed art
…and more.
Along with crafts, visitors can enjoy traditional Japanese cultural activities such as:
Shamisen (three-stringed instrument) performances
Kimono experiences
Tea ceremony demonstrations
Japanese sweets and more
Some workshops require advance reservation, so be sure to check the details if you’re interested in hands-on participation.
At the Watanabe Bookbinding booth, we will be offering our original notebooks made with professional bookbinding techniques, designed to be durable and easy to open (lay-flat).
Each notebook series highlights the characteristics of carefully selected papers and is made to support writing, drawing, and everyday use.
Notebook lineup:
BOOK NOTE 360 – made with OK Fools Paper, ideal for smooth and reliable writing
Seven Seas CROSSFIELD / BUNCO – using Tomoe River Paper, popular among fountain pen users
Nutta – featuring Kinmari SW Paper, with a soft and refined writing feel
yokobon Sketch Notebook – made with HS Light Force, suitable for sketching and mixed media work
In addition, Christal Art, who created the design for our Ink Log notebook, will also be exhibiting at this event.
Christal Art will be selling handcrafted accessories, making this a great opportunity to enjoy notebooks and related creative works together.
In March 2023, a short video of our paper folding process shared on X (formerly Twitter) went viral, attracting widespread attention both in Japan and abroad.
👉 Watch the video here:
https://x.com/booknote_tokyo/status/1636702673062830081?s=20
On Saturday, February 21, our representative, Mr. Watanabe, will present a live paper folding demonstration, showcasing one of the most fundamental techniques in bookbinding.
Books and notebooks are made by first folding large sheets of paper into sections called signatures. These signatures are then gathered in page order through a process known as collation, before being sewn or glued together and finished with a cover.
Paper folding is the foundation of bookbinding. It requires precision, rhythm, and years of experience, and is rarely seen up close by the public.
At this event, you can experience this essential bookbinding technique live, right in front of you.
The Nippori Craft Festival is a rare chance to:
Watch skilled artisans at work
Learn about traditional techniques that support modern products
Experience the stories behind Japanese craftsmanship
Whether you are interested in notebooks, paper, design, or traditional manufacturing, this event offers a meaningful and inspiring experience.
We warmly invite you to visit the Nippori Craft Festival – “Takumi no Waza Exhibition” and stop by the Watanabe Bookbinding booth.
We hope this event will deepen your appreciation for Japanese bookbinding and craftsmanship.
