EXPERIENCE
Japanese crafts in Inami
IN A TOWN HEWN FROM WOOD, IMMERSE YOURSELF IN TRADITIONAL ARTS AND GET HANDS-ON IN A CRAFT STUDIO
The scene
Keep your eyes peeled when wandering the stone-paved streets of Inami. The town’s carpenters, of whom there are many, have tucked dozens of wooden carved cats into unexpected locations, from a svelte feline that doubles as a sweet shop’s door handle to a pleased-looking puss pouring itself a cup while strategically positioned above a sake shop’s door. Cat-spotting is just one playful way to explore the craft culture of one of Japan’s top woodworking towns, which has been chiselling the material since the 1700s. Surrounded by mountains in central Japan’s Toyama Prefecture, Inami lives and breathes wood. Out of a population of just 8,000, around 150 people work as woodcarvers and the town is a kind of open-air museum to showcase their skills. There are shop signs, a telephone booth and even a bus stop all carved out of wood. Travellers who spend a night here get a total immersion in the local craft culture and also help support the preservation of the town.