Keeping the Fire of Folkcraft Burning

Overview

Mass-produced items are nice and cheap, but none have the beauty and warmth of handmade objects. This is especially true in Japan, where handcrafted houseware has long been part of daily living. We follow Terry Ellis from the UK, who from his shop in Koenji, Tokyo, promotes the appeal of folkcraft from all over the country and works to adapt it to modern lifestyles. Later on, still in Tokyo, we drop by a beauty salon in Ikebukuro to meet Chinese Shang Haiyi, who trains to become a hairdresser.