Craft & Mental Health: A small documentary into Japanese craft

Hi everyone, Oscar here! This season, I had the incredible opportunity to explore a question that had lingered in the back of my mind: Can craft and the creative act improve mental health? Or simply put, what is the connection between craft and well-being?

This question led me to Yamanaka Onsen, a small town in rural Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, where I spoke with woodturners and lacquerware artisans dedicated to preserving the town’s 400-year-old craft of Urushi lacquerware. Through these conversations - and by experiencing the process of woodturning myself - I began to understand the nuances of what real craftspeople's lives are like. 

From there, I traveled to the heart of Osaka to meet PhD lecturer, professional calligraphy teacher, and close friend Ueno Yuu - whom I call Fukumitsusan. Our discussion began with a small ceramic statue of a man practicing Tai Chi and unfolded into a conversation about meditation, linguistic history, Taoism, and the eccentric life of an exiled Chinese hermit.

I learned so much from my time with these craftspeople and artists. And thanks to the hard work of our producer, Yeo, you can now experience this journey too - and perhaps discover the same deep connection to craft that I have.

You can check out the podcast episode below!