From 24 November to 5 December 2026, CLAIR Paris (Centre Japonais des Collectivités Locales) will present the 14th edition of its event « Synergies entre tradition et modernité - L'artisanat local à la pointe de l’innovation » at the Maison de la culture du Japon in Paris.
Traditional craftsmanship from the various regions of the archipelago is at the origin of monozukuri, the art of designing objects. Even today, the elegant design, meticulous manufacturing and high quality of these objects enrich the daily lives of the Japanese.
Thanks to the exceptional participation of 24 prefectures and cities, several hundred handcrafted creations will be on show during this exhibition-sale, all originating from exceptional know-how passed down through generations of artisans to the present day.
This event will present these objects of outstanding craftsmanship from three aspects of Japanese life (I - Shoku - Jû): clothing (I), tableware (Shoku) and housing (Jû).
Highlighting « this regional art of living », omnipresent in Japan, will be a wonderful opportunity to discover the subtleties of the craft techniques of 24 local authorities, as well as their admirable ability to adapt to the needs of contemporary lifestyles while innovating in many fields: silk, textiles, glass art, lacquer, goldsmithing, ceramics, cutlery, woodworking, washi paper, etc.
- The 24 prefectures and cities taking part (from north to south): Aomori, Miyagi, Sendai (Miyagi Pref.), Akita, Yamagata, Koriyama (Fukushima Pref.), Tokyo, Kanagawa, Toyama, Kanazawa (Ishikawa Pref.), Fukui (Pref. and city), Nagano, Gifu, Nagoya (Aichi Pref.), Ise (Mie Pref.), Matsusaka (Mie Pref.), Shiga, Kyoto, Sakai (Osaka Pref.), Hyogo, Tamba-Sasayama (Hyogo Pref.), Fukuoka, Kumamoto (Kumamoto Pref.).
Workshops led by artisans from Japan will take place (by reservation with the MCJP):
< Workshop: Discovering Edo oshi-e (Tokyo Pref.)
< Workshop: The art of kawatsura shikki / lacquer craft (Akita Pref.)
< Lecture: Nature and craftsmanship / traditional paper and ceramics (Gifu Pref.)
< Workshop: Creating kumiko (Nagano Pref.)