Drop-in Kyoto Machiya Craft Facility “Yukandou” Grand Opening in Front of Nijo Castle in Kyoto on Monday, September 8, 2025
Craftful Life Co., Ltd. Press Release: September 2, 2025 “Yukando,” a Kyoto machiya craft facility open for drop-in use, will have its grand opening in front of Nijo Castle in Kyoto on Monday, September 8, 2025. ~ Immerse yourself in the joy of crafting this autumn ~ Craftful Life Co., Ltd. (291-1
Kamiichimonjicho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture;
Representative Director: Naomi Nakatake) will be grand opening “Yukando,” a new craft facility where you can enjoy a variety of handicrafts for an hourly fee, on Monday, September 8, 2025. With handicrafts quietly showing signs of booming, we hope to provide modern people living in a digital society with the opportunity to enjoy handicrafts freely and casually in the quaint space of a Kyoto machiya townhouse, providing them with a time to enrich their senses.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/168488/2/168488-2-cb0cd140d313e5f1c238a679940c16ee-3900×2043.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/168488/2/168488-2-4d399dff140d000804c4ef5dc84cf641-3900×2047.jpg A Japanese-style room with a tasteful alcove and a pleasant view of the greenery in the courtyard. In an age where advances in AI are driving ever-increasing digitalization and virtualization, we believe that time spent working quietly and creating something with one’s own hands is valuable. Our goal is to create a facility where visitors can experience handicrafts and rich cultures from around the world, becoming engrossed in their work and clearing their minds and inspiring new ideas.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/168488/2/168488-2-c259313deb2674394234f4183e2a1c2d-3900×2047.jpg The appeal of crafts is not only the finished product itself, but also the enjoyment of the process of making it. ■Approximately 10 million people engage in handicrafts. A secret handicraft boom is also occurring among men and young people. According to the “2021 Basic Survey on Social Life” (Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications), 8.8% of people listed “knitting/sewing” as a hobby or leisure activity they engaged in over the past year, which translates to nearly 10 million people in terms of the population. Until now, knitting and sewing have mainly been the hobbies of housewives and senior women, but when broken down by gender, participation rates appear to be higher among girls under 15 and among men under 25.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/168488/2/168488-2-0b5c5eb71fe895df4e590e499d36e688-1172×635.png *Created by Craftful Life Co., Ltd. based on the “2021 Basic Survey on Social Life” (Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications) (https://www.stat.go.jp/data/shakai/2021/index.html) In fact, “knitting boys” and “knitting clubs” have become hot topics on social media, and online videos showing how to knit are gaining popularity among young people. The popularity of needlework and crafts is expanding to young men and teenage girls. Possible factors behind this trend include the ability to share and sell creations on social media and online shopping sites, the increasing number of places where materials can be easily purchased, such as the craft section of 100-yen shops, and the ease with which people can learn how to make things through online videos. ■A new format called “Craft Lounge” that is easy for business people to use as well Traditional craft culture has been supported by home salons, classes, and handmade events. However, as mentioned above, with the changing social environment, we believe there are a certain number of people who feel that it is too difficult to join, with restrictions such as classes with set times and workshops that specify what to make, and the courage it takes to join a traditional salon community. That’s why Yukando has created a “Craft Lounge” business model where people can come empty-handed at any time and make whatever they like. There’s no need to come on the same day or time every week, and there are no restrictions on skill level or difficulty. This style allows people with the same hobby to gather, but without the need for excessive communication. This is a new craft facility unique to the Reiwa era, accessible to business people and men alike.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/168488/2/168488-2-57382fbbf3dd35fef66febf393c6de8c-3900×2045.jpg You can also enjoy different crafts with friends. ■Origin of the store name: “In the heart of a hero, there are days and months of leisure.” In English, it means “you can do.” The store name “Yukando” comes from the proverb “In the heart of a hero, there are days and months of leisure.” This means that great people who are called heroes are relaxed and not caught up in small things, so from the outside, they appear to be living a leisurely life. For busy modern people, the time they spend working here may seem like boredom or a waste to an outsider, but this time is what gives them the peace of mind to focus on important things. The English translation is “you can do,” which has the nuance of “you can do it too” and “let’s do it together,” making it more accessible to foreigners. ■In the future, we will also have galleries, studios, and events, creating a place where you can encounter crafts from around the world. In addition to the craft space available to our patrons, Yukando also plans to feature a gallery exhibiting the works of craft artists, an atelier where visitors can watch the creators create their works up close, and workshops and events featuring the works they create. We aim to provide a space where not only craft enthusiasts but also those unfamiliar with crafts can encounter a variety of crafts that have been passed down from around the world and be inspired to create.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/168488/2/168488-2-9682ef727ee15ded4b9432d0e6649096-3900×2048.jpg There are a variety of crafts around the world, including mizuhiki, darning, and paper quilling. ■Company Profile ・Company Name: Craftful Life Co., Ltd. ・Location: 291-1 Kamichimonji-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Prefecture ・Established: June 2025 ・Capital: 3 million yen ・Representative Director: Naomi Nakatake For more information about this release
