Traditional crafts of Tokyo

These artisans representing the Tokyo area crafts were out in force on the 11th floor of the Shinjuku Takashimaya. Not only were they selling  their goods but also in many cases were demonstrating.

I bought a silk scarf from Murayama-Oshima Tsumugi; its a type of shibori I have never seen before. Basically it's 4 sheets of wood with matching grooves in them; folded fabric is place between the wood sheets with the grooves matched up, then clamped, then indigo dyed.

There was a man selling yardage for kimonos; I saw a type of Kasuri that had another name which I didn't catch... He also made pencil cases and wallets from scraps (I bought one!).

Also saw:

• A man weaving small mats; he had the active weaving part on the up end of a board, with the two sheds of the weave over each side, string on bobbins as for kumihimo; after adding a reed, he would switch each of the warp strings.
• A man shaping tortoise shell into combs, ornaments, etc.
• The paper templates used for stenciling dyes or resists onto fabric.
• A man making one of the large traditional musical instruments.
• A kuminhimo marudai with a stunning piece in progress, and an entire booth filled with fairly plan bands (assume for use in traditional dress?)
• Intricate mutlicolored woodblock prints in stunning detail and precision.
• $700 scissors, and I'm sure worth every penny.
• Brushes, brooms, lacquerware, woodcarving, bamboo fishing poles...