‘Made In Britain’: A Crafted Future?

Iain Overton

On Kensington High Street, a few doors from the Underground, stands Japan House, London. Part gallery, part boutique, part cultural embassy, it is a masterclass in national self-promotion.

Behind its doors, displays of Mashiko Ceramic Yunomi cups, Fukuzen Hamono gardening flower shears, and Hakusan Porcelain soy sauce pots are the cultural ambassadors of a country that values the work of its artisans as much as the prestige of its global brands.

Visitors can enjoy an exhibition on regional lacquerware one moment and buy hand-cut washi paper the next. Every object seems to be curated to convey a national story of skill, place, and pride.