Immersive Handcrafted Dolls: Mino Washi Paper Crafts Workshops for Couples, Families, and Global Travelers.NEWS 2024.12.26
2024.12.27If you’re looking for sightseeing in Mino City, Gifu Prefecture, this is the place! Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo
Newsletter No.229
In the birthplace of Mino Washi, the “Udatsu no Agaru Historical District,”
try our hands-on Mino Washi craft experience, perfect for souvenirs,
and get the latest updates from Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo.
Mino City Tourism Association Website
Recommended for a wide range of travelers—solo, couples, families, or group tours—to make your trip unforgettable.
Up to 45 people can enjoy our hands-on workshop at once.
Scene from an overseas group tour
Our activity menu includes:
“Washi Korokoro” Paper Doll
“Washi Korokoro” 12 Chinese Zodiac & Samurai Warrior Series
Now offered at a special price: [Washi Korokoro Monchhichi] Hands-On Experience ¥1210
Washi Plate, Washi Pen Holder, Washi Bookmark, Washi Pierced Earrings and Clip-On Earrings
Over 30 variations available! We share our opening schedule and more.
Click the link to see images.
Scene from an overseas group tour
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Our shop’s latest news, menu details, and access information are all here.
What our Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop is all about
Hands-on experiences with Mino Washi goods and souvenir shopping!
▼HP▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/shop.html
▼Rakuten Online Store▼
https://www.rakuten.co.jp/ishikawa-shigyo/
Highly recommended for sightseeing in Mino City.
Latest Shop News
NEW! Shop operating days in December, January, and February
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1465.html
We also accept group reservations outside normal business days!
▼“Tetsuro Degawa’s Let Me Charge My Battery?” TV Show
Washi Doll-Making Experience in Mino City, Gifu Prefecture at Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo Video with Kyoko Kuma
https://youtu.be/S8nqVqxGoiI
▼NHK Broadcast “Marutto! Gifu” Mino Washi Uchiwa-Making Experience
Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo in Mino City, Gifu Tourism, Udatsu no Agaru Machinami Video
https://youtu.be/Pn995x3oX9Q
Gifu Channel “Meccha Gifu Wakaru TV”▼
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKiDL8-xf_w
▼Home of Mino Washi, Mino City, Gifu Prefecture: Discover what it’s like on the Mino City Tourism Association website
We’re featured under “Experiences” → “Mino Washi” on their site!
https://www.minokanko.com/index.php
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Thank you for your patronage this year.
We look forward to seeing you in 2025 as well.
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Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo
closed its business for the year on December 22.
Thank you very much for visiting our experience shop this year.
We truly appreciate your support.
We’ll reopen on January 5, 2025.
We look forward to having a wonderful time creating Mino Washi crafts together again in 2025.
We hope to share the joy of Japanese paper crafts with everyone.
At the beginning of the year, we expect a group tour from Taiwan
to join us for a Japanese cultural excursion.
In February, visitors from other parts of Asia will arrive,
expanding our global community.
We can’t wait to see the unique creations made by each country,
as not all designs are the same.
Mino Washi craft experiences
are perfect for Japanese cultural tours.
By all means,
add them to your travel package!
In 2025, we will continue to share customers’ finished works on Instagram and Google Maps,
so please give us a Like!
Shop Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/ishikawashigyoshop2016/?hl=ja
People from many countries visit our shop
to create or purchase our “roly-poly” dolls.
That number is now 38 countries (individuals and groups).
North & South America
USA, Brazil, Canada
Asia
Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, China, Timor-Leste, Nepal, India, Israel, Cambodia, Laos, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Pakistan, Malaysia
Europe
UK, France, Germany, Poland, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Italy
Oceania
Australia, New Zealand
▼Perfect for overseas student cultural exchanges and company field trips▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_672_0_0.html
For group inquiries, please contact us below▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/contact/shop.html
The Mino City Hall’s Mino Washi Promotion Division
is currently conducting a survey for inbound visitors.
It looks like they’re receiving responses from different countries.
They’re gathering overseas visitor information
to make Mino City tourism even more appealing!
Stay tuned!
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Our activity menu
will have a price revision
starting January 2025.
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From January 2025, prices will be revised as follows:
We appreciate your understanding and continued support.
Washi Korokoro Doll-Making Experience
¥1100 → ¥1210
Washi Korokoro Koinobori-Making Experience
¥1210 → ¥1320
Washi Korokoro Samurai Warrior Series
¥1210 → ¥1320
Washi Plate-Making Experience
¥990 → ¥1100
Washi Pen Holder-Making Experience
¥990 → ¥1100
Family Set A
¥1990 → ¥2210
Family Set B
¥1990 → ¥2210
Family Set C
¥1770 → ¥1880
Washi Bookmark-Making Experience
¥770 No change
Washi Earrings/Clip-On Earrings Experience
¥1320 No change
Reservations made within this year will be charged at the old prices.
We look forward to your reservations!
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Recommended for educational institutions!
Come to Mino City
and learn about Mino Washi,
and try a traditional craft experience.
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Learn about Gifu Prefecture’s local industry and culture
Mino Washi, nurtured in the Nagara River basin,
is recognized as a “Japan Heritage.”
We invite you to come learn about Mino Washi, a Japan Heritage, right here in Mino!
It’s perfect for educational tourism packages!
We encourage you to visit Mino for school excursions or social studies trips!
Mino City has a 1,600-year history of Mino Washi.
It’s a great destination for educational travel programs.
Study the history of Mino Washi in Gifu Prefecture’s Mino City,
and enjoy the beautiful texture while creating your own Japanese paper craft!
You can experience the Edo-period scenery in “Udatsu no Agaru Machinami,”
where you can make all kinds of Mino Washi crafts at our shop!
You can also try hand-scooped washi making and washi craft-making.
Learn about the history of Mino Washi or try hand-scooped washi
at the Mino Washi no Sato Kaikan (Mino Washi Museum)!
Mino Washi Museum
https://www.city.mino.gifu.jp/minogami/
Then head to the historic merchant district
where washi trading took place, called “Udatsu no Agaru Machinami.”
Here, you can visit old townhouse museums, view modern washi art, and see the “Akari Art.”
Former Imai Family Residence / Mino History Museum
https://minokanko.com/seeing/category/history-culture/p5974/
Akari Art Hall
https://minokanko.com/seeing/category/townscape-architecture/p5976/
Recommended for school programs
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1124.html
Take your time and explore all that Mino City has to offer.
We’re featured in the Gifu Prefecture Sustainable Tourism brochure as a recommended resource for educational travel.
What is Sustainable Tourism?
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO),
it’s tourism that “takes full account of its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts,
addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities.”
This approach is increasingly relevant for responsible cultural travel experiences.
You can download a map of the district from the Mino City Tourism Association HP▼
https://minokanko.com/pamphlet/
There are also volunteer guides who can show you around the historic district,
so please inquire below if you’d like a guide.
*Guided tours are available for groups of 10 or more.
https://minokanko.com/news/news/p6710/
*For groups of 20 or fewer, we charge a separate facility fee for reservations on non-business days.
Please contact us for details.
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Our hometown, the land of Mino Washi
Mino City, Gifu Prefecture News
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A popular local spot for Mino City residents
Ogura Castle Ruins
Ogura Park
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Ogura Park
https://minokanko.com/seeing/category/nature-scenery/p5979/
In April, around the time of the Mino Festival, the cherry blossoms are at their peak.
When Nagachika Kanamori was granted the land of Mino by Ieyasu Tokugawa, he built Ogura Castle on Mt. Ogura, a small mountain at 159m elevation. It is now Ogura Park, beloved by both residents and visitors. In spring, around 100 cherry trees bloom gloriously, making it a popular spot during the Sakura Festival. In winter, the snow-covered landscape of Mt. Ogura is equally beautiful.
Transportation Access
A 10-minute walk from Nagaragawa Railway’s Umeyama Station
About a 1-minute walk from Gifu Bus “Gifu-Mino Line” stop “Mino Ogura Koen-mae”
Approx. 5 minutes by car from Mino IC on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway via Route 156
Parking available
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Plan your own event tour
Enjoy making Hina dolls
through our Mino Washi Workshop
Washi Korokoro Hina Doll-Making Experience
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“Udatsu no Machiya no Ohinasama”
Event Dates
Feb 8 (Sun), 2025 – Apr 3 (Thu), 2025
The “Udatsu no Agaru Machinami” in Mino City
will become the venue for a Hina Doll event.
All around the district, you can admire antique Hina dolls
and gorgeous seven-tiered displays,
bringing a festive atmosphere.
In the middle of it all,
try making your own “Washi Korokoro Hina Doll.”
Create your own personalized Hina dolls!
Let’s craft these cute dolls together!
Additionally, you can hold
a Hina Doll Making Experience Workshop at your own local Hina Doll event.
Combining the Hina Doll workshop
with a local Hina Doll Tour is a great idea.
We recommend our craft kit, which includes instructions,
so you only need glue and scissors!
You can borrow glue and scissors from Ishikawa Shigyo as well.
≪Items for loan≫
10-person set: ¥5000 + tax
Contents: 10 tweezers, 5 glue dispensers (1 per 2 people), 5 scissors (1 per 2 people), 1 set of instructions
Besides the zodiac series,
we have dozens of other paper doll kits.
If you’re looking for good-luck items, we have beckoning cats, Daruma dolls, lion dance figures, and more.
For a simpler workshop option▼
Difficulty levels for our kits
www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/catalog/00/82/82_1_file.pdf
Contact us directly with any questions.
We also offer items to make workshops more fun
with decorations for your creations.
≪Recommended decorative materials for workshops≫
Die-cut paper, cut-paper set 10g ¥1000
This set covers about 10 people’s worth of beautiful cut papers and shapes.
It includes a little extra, so it’s quite a deal!
You can even create layered paper designs—so pretty!
We recommend offering “experiences” as “experiential souvenirs” alongside your local specialties!
Guests can take home what they make, so it doubles as a memorable souvenir!
Our “Washi Korokoro” series can be enjoyed year-round!
～Perfect for monthly promotions!～
≪Activity Track Record, Workshop Examples≫
January: Zodiac animals, Setsubun with our new “Aka Oni” (Red Demon)
February: Hina Dolls, Valentine’s Day with “Korokoro Message” crafts!
March: Easter—bunnies
April: Festival season—Lion Dance, etc.
May: Samurai armor, warrior dolls, Koinobori carp, etc.
June: Rainy season—frogs, goldfish
July: Tanabata
August: Goldfish
September: Cute animals—bunnies, owls, etc.
October: Halloween
November: Zodiac, Daruma, beckoning cats
December: Christmas, next year’s zodiac
We also recommend our all-year-lucky “good fortune” series or history-themed (samurai, princess) series!
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○●○ Media Coverage ○●○
Seiryu no Kuni Gifu News Letter November 2024
Enjoy the art of traditional craft “Mino Washi” this fall
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Our products were introduced in the “Seiryu no Kuni Gifu News Letter”!
(Press release from Gifu Prefecture Tourism Resource Utilization Division)
Our Washi Kabuto ornament is featured as a new expression of Mino Washi.
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000017.000143336.html
This article includes tourist spots in Mino and Gifu, plus autumn foliage recommendations,
showcasing the charm of Gifu Prefecture.
We encourage you to check it out^^
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December, January & February Instagram Contest
Keyword:
#IshikawaShigyoContestWinter2025
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We’ll hold our Instagram contest in December, January, and February as well.
The keyword is
#IshikawaShigyoContestWinter2025!
Please keep those posts coming!
*Note that the keyword has slightly changed from previous announcements.
Please be careful when posting.
Customer Works
Not only the items made at our experience workshop,
but also those made at home using our kits,
are welcome submissions on Instagram!
To purchase kits…
Rakuten Kit Sales Site
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Ishikawa Shigyo Headquarters News
Latest info & great deals
Small-quantity Production Available: Ishikawa Shigyo OEM Case Studies
Adorable “Washi Korokoro Roly-Poly Dolls”
Kits also available!
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Our highly popular “Washi Korokoro” has been adopted by organizations like JAXA and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies,
and is a favorite for Japanese cultural tourism and inbound experiences.
JAXA - Washi Korokoro Small Lunar Lander SLIM
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies “Tobita-kun”
This roly-poly doll is a symbol of good luck—“fall down seven times, stand up eight.”
It’s practically an original washi figure, unique to our Mino Washi tradition.
You can order these from as few as 300 pieces!
Our headquarters’ creators combine proven techniques and fresh ideas to produce fantastic products!
We can also create them as DIY kits (complete with instructions),
so you can hold your own workshops with them.
※※Past Examples※※
Ishikawa Shigyo OEM Case Studies
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/oem.html
■Washi Korokoro Tsubakuro
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_477.html
■Washi Korokoro Kuidaore Taro
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_542.html
◆Pre-orders open for 2025 new Hina Dolls!
See our 2025 Hina Doll Catalog here▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1404.html
◆Pre-orders open for 2025 new Samurai Doll designs!
See our 2025 Samurai Doll catalog blog post here▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/news/detail_1503.html
New Service: Personalized Name Plates!
[For partner retailers only]
For end users who purchase eligible items at your store, we’ll mail them a personalized name plate directly from Ishikawa Shigyo afterward.
Name plate creation fee including shipping: ¥330 (tax included)!
You can place orders via Rakuten or via Excel form.
Learn more here:
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/lsc/lsc-upfile/magazine/01/66/166_1_file.pdf (Iki-Iki Communication, November issue)
Contact us if you’d like more details.
Don’t miss out on this incredible new service!
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Minowa’s Remarks [Greetings]
This is our final newsletter of 2024.
Thank you for reading the newsletter of “Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo” this year.
We appreciate your continued interest.
How did you like the “Minowa’s Remarks” column?
We’ll do our best in 2025 to keep you updated on the latest news from our craft shop and Ishikawa Shigyo headquarters,
so please stay tuned!
Lastly,
we wish you all a wonderful 2025,
filled with success and happiness.
See you soon…
For inquiries about newsletter information, please contact us here▼
https://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/contact/shop.html
In an Edo-period atmosphere
create Mino Washi goods in a hands-on workshop
Ishikawa Mino Washi Paper Goods Workshop
〒501-3728
1909-3 Honjyu-cho, Mino City, Gifu Prefecture
Shop Manager: Minowa
Tel 0575-29-3680
Fax 0575-35-1363
Mobile 090-5851-4673
Email shigyo@jt7.so-net.ne.jp
HP：http://www.ishikawa-shigyo.com/
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[About Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo]
Founded in 1902 (Meiji 35), we are a Mino Washi goods manufacturer at Ishikawa Shigyo,
where you can enjoy “handcrafted washi art” through our immersive workshop
at the Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo.
Located in the “Udatsu no Agaru Machinami” tourist area of Mino City, Gifu Prefecture,
we operate in a 270-year-old historic building, allowing visitors to experience traditional Japanese paper-making.
Family trips with Mino Washi craft-making,
group tours for Gifu sightseeing, or local travel programs—everyone loves it as a highlight of Mino tourism.
It’s a perfect travel program: learn about the history of Mino Washi while creating washi crafts with your family or group!
We also welcome couples looking for a romantic cultural experience, or those on educational tours.
Try making “Washi Korokoro” roly-poly dolls,
washi earrings, pen holders, plates, bookmarks, and in summer, washi fans—
we have over 30 types of workshops. You can even make historical figures from Sekigahara,
or crafts inspired by Gifu Bus or the Nagaragawa Railway!
Our Mino Washi craft experience is also popular for inbound tourism,
welcoming guests from 37 countries. No reservation is needed for individuals, and it takes about 30–60 minutes.
Since our staff assists and we provide all basic materials, anyone can do it—even if you’re not crafty.
You can take home your piece right away.
Groups of 10 or more should reserve in advance.
We can host up to 45 people at once.
For groups larger than that, we’ll rotate sessions. Group travel reservations are also possible outside regular hours.
Enjoy shopping too! We sell 600 types of Mino Washi souvenirs from Ishikawa Shigyo Headquarters.
Our Google Map review rating is 4.9 (466 reviews) as of 2024.07.09
[Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo – TV Broadcast Videos]
“Tetsuro Degawa’s Let Me Charge My Battery?” Mino City, Gifu – Washi Doll-Making Experience
https://youtu.be/S8nqVqxGoiI
NHK “Marutto! Gifu” Mino Washi Fan-Making Experience
https://youtu.be/Pn995x3oX9Q
“Matsuken Sanpo” – Washi Plate-Making Experience
https://youtu.be/0Xj95TBhXoU
“Hanasaka Times” – Washi Korokoro Doll Experience with Haruka Minowa & Yuriyan Retriever
https://youtu.be/u9tJ1DURNic
NHK News – Mino Washi Doll-Making Experience!
https://youtu.be/OULbvsHaA8w
NHK Gifu “Hot Evening Gifu” – Mino Washi Doll-Making at Ishikawa Shigyo
https://youtu.be/u1g85fl89KI
Chukyo TV “Catch!” – Fun Washi Craft Experiences at Mino Washi Craft Experience Shop Ishikawa Shigyo
https://youtu.be/k9Kd993PUq8
CBC “Ippou” – Gifu Mino City Tourism Washi Craft Experience at Ishikawa Shigyo
https://youtu.be/qZ7_hOmaQ-8
Gifu Channel “Mecha Gifu Hunter” – Washi Korokoro Lucky Cat, Kimono Dressing
https://youtu.be/xGpfUOAcmtM
CCN “Area Topic” – Washi Korokoro Gifu Bus Collaboration, Gifu Bus × Ishikawa Shigyo Hands-On Experience
https://youtu.be/aowdKHSnze8
Mino Washi Craft – Enjoyable for Parents and Kids
Gifu Traditional Crafts – Hands-On Experience
Mino City Washi Souvenirs – How It’s Made
Gifu Tourism – Immersive Local Tours
Make Your Own Washi Dolls – Family Travel Experience
Mino Washi Goods DIY Workshop
Washi Craft Classes for Kids in Gifu
Group-Friendly Mino Washi Craft Tours
Gifu Hands-On Washi Workshop
Senior-Friendly Mino City Tourism Tours
Gifu Washi Goods Culture Booking
Washi Craft Heritage in Mino City – Travel Plans
Mino Washi Craft Experience – Japanese Cultural Tour
Gifu Family Experience – Popular Tourist Spot
Mino Washi Travel Package Tour
Groups Welcome! Enjoy with up to 45 people, perfect for school trips and educational excursions!
Overseas Workers’ Group Tour – Japanese Washi Cultural Experience – Up to 45 People
Local Elementary Schools Hold Workshops – Promoting Regional Identity & Traditional Heritage
Foreign Tourists Welcome – Mino City Traditional Craft Experience – Japanese Culture & Mino Washi Doll Making
Overseas Group Tours – Memorable Japanese Cultural Activity
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