What is the history of the Japanese Kimono? Is rice paper really made from rice? How is Sake made? What are Japanese Shoji Screens? Read on to find the answers to these questions plus more information about Japanese art:

The sort of paper that many people think of when hearing the term “rice paper” (smooth, thin, crackly, strong) is not actually made from rice at all. The paper is made from fibers from the bark of the mulberry tree. It got the name “rice paper” because it was used to make packets for rice. This sort of paper is used for origami, calligraphy, paper screens and clothing, etc. It is much stronger than commercially made wood-pulp paper. Although paper can be made from rice straw, this is not the “rice paper” that people usually think of. Some very good examples can be found within our Shoji Screens section.

Sake is a Japanese word meaning "alcoholic beverage", which in English has come to refer to a specific alcoholic beverage brewed mainly from rice, and known in Japan as nihonshu. Sake is widely referred to in English as "rice wine". However, this designation is not accurate. The production of alcoholic beverages by multiple fermentation is more characteristic of beer than wine. Also, there are other beverages known as "rice wine" that are significantly different from nihonshu. In Japan sake is served cold, warm or hot, depending on the preference of the drinker, the quality of the sake and the season. Sake is one of the few alcoholic beverages that are regularly consumed hot. Typically, hot sake is consumed in winter and cold sake is consumed in summer. As heating serves to mask the undesirable flavors of lower-quality sake, it is said that the practice became popular during World War II to mask the rough flavor of low-quality sake resulting from scarcity of quality ingredients. The most common way to serve sake in the United States is to heat it to body temperature (37°C/98.6°F), but professional sake tasters prefer room temperature (20°C/68°F), and chilled sake (10°C/50°F) is growing in popularity. Sake is served in shallow cups, called choko. Usually sake is poured into the choko from ceramic flasks called tokkuri. Other, more ceremonial cups, used most commonly at weddings and other special occasions, are called sakazuki. Drinking from someone else's sake cup is considered a sign of friendship, or to honor someone of lower status. Take a moment to view our Sake Set selection.

In traditional Japanese architecture, a shoji is a room divider or door consisting of translucent washi paper over a wooden frame. Shoji doors are often designed to slide open, or fold in half, to conserve space that would be required by a swinging door. They are used in traditional houses as well as western-style housing and are now regarded in Japan as a necessity in looking Japanese. We have many styles to choose from within our Japanese Shoji Screens category.