JAPANESE CRAFT GUIDE
Santoku vs Gyuto: Which Japanese Kitchen Knife Fits Your Home Cooking?
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NETOKYO · PRACTICAL CULTURE
NEW SERIES
Japanese craft, without the guesswork.
Ten reader-first guides for the moment a visitor or new collector has to make a real choice: what to buy, how to use it, and what to ask before paying.
Start with Kappabashi →NEW STORIES
These are not souvenir lists. Each guide begins with the decision a reader is actually facing—from a first sento visit to choosing a kitchen knife—and follows it through with care, context and official sources.
JAPANESE CRAFT GUIDE
How to Choose a Japanese Whetstone: A Calm Beginner's Guide to Grit, Flattening, and Care
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JAPANESE CRAFT GUIDE
Japanese Knife Sharpening in Tokyo: What to Ask Before You Hand Over a Blade
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JAPANESE CRAFT GUIDE
Japanese Pottery Styles for First-Time Collectors: Arita, Kutani, Bizen, and the Questions That Matter
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JAPANESE CRAFT GUIDE
Arita vs Kutani Pottery: How the Two Traditions Differ—and Where They Overlap
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JAPANESE CRAFT GUIDE
Japanese Lacquerware Care: What to Ask Before You Wash, Store, or Gift Urushi
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JAPANESE CRAFT GUIDE
Tokyo Sento for First-Time Visitors: How to Enter, Bathe, and Leave Without Feeling Lost
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JAPANESE CRAFT GUIDE
Aizome for Beginners: What Japanese Indigo Dyeing Teaches Before You Buy a Kit
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JAPANESE CRAFT GUIDE
A Japanese Calligraphy Set for Beginners: What You Need for Shodo—and What Can Wait
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WHERE TO STAY
Find the Tokyo base that fits your trip.
Choose the neighbourhood first, then compare current rooms, cancellation terms and travel dates on Rakuten Travel. The links below are advertising links; availability and prices change.
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ShinjukuLate arrivals, rail connections and a first Tokyo stayFind a stay on Rakuten Travel →ShibuyaFashion, food and a younger late-night rhythmFind a stay on Rakuten Travel →AsakusaWalkable heritage and a slower morningFind a stay on Rakuten Travel →GinzaDepartment stores, galleries and polished streetsFind a stay on Rakuten Travel →RoppongiMuseums, dining and international accessFind a stay on Rakuten Travel →AkihabaraAnime, games and easy rail linksFind a stay on Rakuten Travel →HarajukuMeiji Jingu, design and weekend energyFind a stay on Rakuten Travel →NakameguroA residential pace, cafés and riverside walksFind a stay on Rakuten Travel →Shinjuku photograph: Wikimedia Commons, CC0