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Oxo Tower-based wagumi offers workshops in Japanese crafts for London Craft Week.

Kintsugi workshop
Kintsugi gives broken ceramics a beautiful afterlife. It is a process that uses lacquer, sealants and metal powder to trace the lines of a breakage, and create something new. More than a simple act of restoration, kintsugi makes a feature of the cracks formed in a moment of chance. This touches on classic concepts in the Japanese decorative arts, such as the impermanence of things, and beauty in imperfection.

Kintsugi practitioner Iku Nishikawa leads the workshops, and is able to instruct in the principles and techniques of kintsugi. Held in small groups, the workshops offer an accessible introduction to the methods of ceramic repair. Including some shortcuts, the sessions are intended as an entry point to a deeper art. The format allows for participants to work on Japanese ceramic fragments, that they are then able to keep. Unfortunately, in the timeframe, it is not possible for participants to bring their own ceramics to the workshop to mend.

Incense-making workshop
Incense is a classic smell of Japan: whether used for temples and shrines, or to simply light the home, the country has a lively industry in scent. In this workshop, get an introduction to the processes of crafting Japanese incense, with the opportunity to make your own.