Japan Suppliers

[Mockingbird]

Hello all,

First time poster

I'm a brit living in Kyoto Japan and want to have a go at leathercraft after seeing a satchel made at a local crafts fair.

As far as I've gathered there are 3 main suppliers in Japan: Seiwa, Craftsha and Kyoshin-Elle.

I went to Tokyu-Hands to pick up my first tools, they seem to stock only Seiwa products.

Can anyone recommend anywhere I can get some tanned leather? Tokyu-Hands Kyoto only seems to stock 30cmx30cm tanned leather.

I'd like to get started on beginner projects like coin case, keyholder and wallets.

Thanks!

[ramrod]

i'm surprised there were no bites on this. i'd say that if you can't get it in country, then try ebay.it might be a bit of a crap shoot as to what you'll get - and you have to know what you're looking for - but it might be worth the effort.

[Mockingbird]

ramrod: thanks for the reply.

For future reference: http://www.leathercraft.jp and http://leathermania.jp/ are good.

[CustomDoug]

There are definitely some leather to be had in Japan.. I don't think you mentioned if you speak japanese or not (I'm thinking not though, for some reason), the problem is going to be a website that links to an English translation page.. like some of the European sites have. I remember a couple of years back coming across a japanese website for a famous tannery there that was known for it's horsehide. I apparently didn't save the link, wish I had. I'm still looking for garment horsehide, so if you come across it in your search please let me know. I can not "recommend" the leathers at the following link (because I have not bought from them), but it does appear to be a tannery website.. that I found using google language translator. So I'd say try more of that. Also, why don't you ask the folks at the 3 suppliers that you've found, if they can recommend a tannery?

http://himeji.jibasan.jp/leather/category/index.html

Doug C

[CustomDoug]

? oh, wait a minute.. I just realized Mockingbird, that the links that you posted seem to have a few places that offer leather... so did you find what you were after?

Doug C

[Mockingbird]

CustomDoug: Yeah, just left a message for anyone in the future that's also looking up Japanese suppliers.

The tannery you could be after is Shinki-Hikaku. Here's a few links you might enjoy:

http://www.styleforum.net/t/66697/japanese-cordovan

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?67440-Horween-or-Shinki-Whose-horse-is-your-pick

[CustomDoug]

Yes that's it, recognized the name immediately. Thank you!

Glad you found what you were looking for too.

Doug C

Edited October 7, 2014 by CustomDoug

[nosiaht]

I'm a regular at goodsjapan.com

[misha01]

Hi. You may have already found what you are looking for, but Himeji is probably where you want to look. They have a large tannery there, so lot's of tools too, and there is a school that teaches leather working there. My wife can't remember any of the names of the places, so I can't help much more than that, sorry.

goodjapan.com was already mentioned, but if you are already in Japan then don't go there. There is a pretty big markup on there items compared to just buying it from the supplier.