24 artisans and artists create 44 types of conveyor-belt sushi plates, “Our Craft Sushi Plates, SUSHI PLATES” – If “Toyama is synonymous with sushi,” then Tsuginote is synonymous with crafts. “Tsugino-te” collaboration creates the future of the region ~
Tsuginote Executive Committee Press release: October 16, 2025 To Members of the Press If “sushi is Toyama,” then Tsuginote is crafts. In collaboration with “Tsugino-te,” which is creating the future of sushi-producing areas, 24 artisans and artists have created 44 types of conveyor-belt sushi plates, “Our Craft Sushi Plates: SUSHI PLATES.” ~October 18th and 19th, the plates will be unveiled at the Tsuginote Craft Fair, featuring demonstrations by metalworkers and hands-on experience crafting suzugami (sushi paper) with rice and white shrimp patterns.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/142170/13/142170-13-0d57a0902fa9a9aec850b0095725764b-1567×1045.jpg
collaborative project with “Tsugino-te,” which aims to create a future for sushi-producing regions, 24 artisans and artists have created 44 types of conveyor-belt sushi plates, “Our Crafted Sushi Plates: SUSHI PLATES.” The Tsugino-te Executive Committee, based in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, connects people involved in craftsmanship and engages in activities to connect craftsmanship to the future. In collaboration with Toyama Prefecture’s “Sushi: Toyama” initiative, the committee has launched a new project, “Our Crafted Sushi Plates: SUSHI PLATES,” which combines Toyama’s proud sushi culture with traditional craftsmanship. “Tsugino-te” is launching a new project called “Tsugino-te” (Sushi Plate). This time, 24 artisans and craftspeople active in Toyama Prefecture, selected by Tsuginote, have created sushi plates with a “conveyor belt sushi plate” motif. The sushi plates produced through this project will be unveiled for the first time at the Tsuginote Craft Fair, to be held in Takaoka City on October 18th and 19th. There will also be sales of trout sushi, demonstrations by metalworkers, and the opportunity to try making tin paper with rice and white shrimp patterns. Each of the 44 sushi plates features a name and background given by the artisans and artists who created them, highlighting not only the techniques used but also the story behind each plate. Also, later this year, they will be used to serve a special dish at Himi Kaiten Sushi Ikizushi in Takaoka City. This project is being carried out with support from the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ FY2025 “Cultural Resource Utilization Project Subsidy (Project to Promote the Utilization of Attractive Cultural Properties Nationwide).” [Background of the Project] A new collaboration between Toyama’s proud “food” and “crafts” When you think of sushi, you think of Toyama. And to go with it, you think of crafts.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/142170/13/142170-13-8991c14ad9994f9fe2b0abf5e0378348-2098×1474.jpg When you think of sushi, you think of Toyama, and the next step is craftsmanship. A wide variety of fish gather in the waters of Toyama throughout the seasons. The “natural fish ponds,” fed by meltwater from the 3,000-meter-high Mt. Tateyama, are home to approximately 500 species of fish, accounting for roughly two-thirds of the fish species found in the Sea of Japan. Another element that is essential to discussing the local culture is crafts. Metal, lacquer, woodwork, glass. Skills passed down for over 400 years still have a strong presence in everyday life. At Tsuginote, we bring together sushi and crafts on the same table. ＜Key Points of This Project＞ – Although sushi is a representative food culture of Japan, the tableware available for it is very limited, making it difficult to collaborate with traditional crafts. – Conveyor belt sushi plates are something everyone has seen at least once, and they are generally recognized and familiar. Furthermore, the unique “rule” that indicates the price range of sushi depending on the pattern and color of the plate is also an interesting part of food culture. We believe that the fact that they are all consistent in “the same shape and format” offers great potential for collaboration with crafts. – Sushi has a simple structure of “ingredients placed on top of rice,” and functions as a medium for conveying the appeal of the ingredients. Similarly, we focused on the fact that conveyor-belt sushi plates can be “a medium for displaying craftsmanship and aesthetic sense.” Experience with your eyes, taste, and touch what is born when two cultures, so familiar yet so profound, meet. These small discoveries are sure to bring joy to your daily life and provide hints for craftsmanship. By juxtaposing food and craftsmanship, you’ll discover new charms of Toyama. [Project Overview] Introduction to “Our Craft Sushi Plates, SUSHI PLATEs” In this project, 24 artisans and artists will use their respective skills to create sushi plates for conveyor-belt sushi restaurants. Craftsmen from Toyama Prefecture, working in a wide range of fields including lacquerware, metal engraving, metal coloring and painting, sculpture, and glass, will create 44 unique sushi plates that showcase a variety of materials. The completed sushi plate will be used to serve a special dish at Takaoka City’s long-loved Himi conveyor-belt sushi restaurant, Ikizushi, later this year. Customers will be able to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime encounter between the plate and the sushi. Site: https://tsuginote.jp/project/sushi *Partial excerpt
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/142170/13/142170-13-a2edf9802dd1415f5f58662b9c91ad5f-1384×748.png Title: Water Dragon, Technique: Engraving, Material: Brass, Craftsman: Fujimori Yuka
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/142170/13/142170-13-f89308a4dea3831346c3412519071bf2-1242×620.png Title: Sora (Sora), Technique: Eggshell Lacquer, Materials: Japanese Chestnut, Genuine Lacquer, Overfishing, Genuine Gold Powder, and Abalone, Craftsman: Yoshikawa Kazuyuki
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/142170/13/142170-13-86cc5f0dfc15d1676eca325b4af6383a-872×448.png Title: So as not to wake up, Technique: Lacquer painting, Material: Oak and lacquer, Artist: Yamada Chiaki
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/142170/13/142170-13-5aa5150793e6e44434ef6cc6de16be62-1638×834.png Title: Glue treatment and gold leaf, Technique: Surface treatment with glue on cast glass/fired gold, Material: Glass, Artist: Kishimoto Kohei The skills of a total of 24 creators will shine Takumi Azechi/Lacquer, Mitsuhiro Kyoda/Gold Leaf, Takeshi
Musashigawa/Mother-of-Pearl Inlay, Takumi Koizumi/Lacquer, Kazuyuki Yoshikawa/Maki-e, Noriyuki Yoshikawa/Maki-e, Sayuri Shiba/Lacquer, Takaaki Yamamura/Sculpted Lacquer, Chiaki Yamada/Lacquer, Yuko Takashima/Wipe Lacquer, Kazuhiko Tadada/Wood Base for Wipe Lacquer, Yuka Fujimori/Metal Carving, Orii Koji (coloring), Kazufumi Nosaka (coloring), Hayato Ozaki (polishing), Tsuyoshi Ueda (coloring), Yuji Hannya (blown-in), Atsushi Isoiwa (tin), Takayuki Tonami (aluminum), Yoshihisa Kawazu (painting), Kazufumi Sugimoto (painting), Daichi Maekawa (sculpture), Kohei Kishimoto (glass), Shiro Tools (casting) ＜”Our Craft Sushi Plates SUSHI About the “Craft Fair” Exhibition and Demonstration ■Project Name: Our Craft Sushi Plates, SUSHI PLATE ■Dates and Times: Saturday, October 18th and Sunday, October 19th, 2025, 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM Exhibited at “Tsugino-te” (Tsugino-te) ■Venue: Takaoka City Takaoka Central Parking Lot (6-11
Shimonoseki-cho, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture) ■Admission Fee: Free ■Exhibition Contents: -Exhibition of 44 types of sushi plates created by 24 artists -Sales of trout sushi – Demonstration by Yoshinori Shimatani of Shimatani Shoryu Kobo, a craftsman who creates cases using hammering, and a workshop where you can engrave sushi “rice” and “white shrimp” patterns on a tin plate (10:00-16:30 on the 18th) Shimatani Shoryu Workshop, a craftsman who creates cases using forged metalwork. Demonstration by Yoshinori Shimatani and a workshop where you can engrave sushi rice and white shrimp patterns onto a tin plate. 【Comments】
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/142170/13/142170-13-07c0ede854b6776799a0d9a7a877f35f-3900×2600.jpg Tsuginote Executive Committee Executive Committee Chairman Jun Hada Jun Haneda, Executive Committee Chair, Tsuginote Executive Committee Toyama is home to two wonderful cultures that are world-class: sushi and crafts. This project was born from the desire to somehow connect these two. Fresh fish from Toyama shines on a plate packed with the artisan’s skill. We want many people to experience that moment. By conveying the appeal of crafts through a food experience, rather than simply selling products, we hope to breathe new life into the industry. [Craft Fair Tsuginote 2025] A total of 128 craft artists and artisans from around Japan will gather in the multi-story parking lot adjacent to Takaoka Station! There’s plenty to see and do, including markets and technology exhibits, as well as workshops, delicious food, and music. Don’t miss the first-ever kids’ area this year, where you can make as many crafts as you want. It’s a two-day event that can be enjoyed by adults, children, and craft enthusiasts alike, regardless of the weather.
https://img.youtube.com/vi/vAWlfrk0ixM/sddefault.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAWlfrk0ixM ■Craft Fair Tsuginote: Free admission: Online ticket registration required / Ticket registration form https://toyamaconnect.com/event_detail/tsuginote2025 ■Craft Fair Tsuginote Official Website: https://tsuginote.jp/ ■Official Instagram: @tsuginote_craft About the Project Stakeholders About the Tsuginote Executive Committee
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/142170/13/142170-13-f729d2cd18231de8a0adf18fe7225a43-234×192.png Tsugino-te Executive Committee ~Tsugino-te: Connecting People and Manufacturing~ The Tsuginote Executive Committee is an organization that continually creates opportunities for the exchange of skills and ideas across regions and industries, centered around the “Tsuginote Craft Fair,” with an eye toward the future of production areas 10 to 50 years from now. The background to this is the current situation in which manufacturing regions across Japan are facing many challenges due to recent lifestyle changes, industrial development, and a shortage of successors. Many production regions, such as casting and lacquerware, use a “division of labor” system in which specialized companies working together to create a single product, but with an increasing number of companies going out of business, it is becoming increasingly difficult to complete manufacturing within the same region. That is why there is a need now to “reorganize manufacturing regions” that allow for co-creation across various boundaries, such as region, industry, materials, and culture. The Tsuginote Executive Committee will bring together makers, connectors, and users from Takaoka City, one of Japan’s leading traditional craft production areas with a 400-year history, to create spaces and initiatives that will connect manufacturing to the next generation. ＜About “Sushi, Toyama”＞
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/142170/13/142170-13-652edc9f0625e7f02b8fa495ed632129-1024×851.jpg “When you think of sushi, you think of Toyama” “When you think of sushi, you think of Toyama” is a 10-year branding strategy involving the entire region to realize Toyama Prefecture’s growth strategy vision of “10 million happy people – Toyama, a leading region in well-being.” Using Toyama’s “sushi” as a gateway, we aim to raise awareness among people both in Japan and overseas about the many charms that Toyama Prefecture boasts, such as its magnificent nature, history, food, culture, and ease of living, and to help establish “Toyama = well-being.” Copyright ©
Corporation All Rights Reserved.