4 authentic made-in-Osaka crafts that make perfect gifts and souvenirs

Temma Kiriko is a traditional style of hand-cut glass made only in Osaka. Noted for combining exquisite design with practical utility, these glasses, being hand-blown, are much stronger than factory-made products and so will prove more durable when transported in your luggage.

When a drink is poured into a Temma Kiriko glass, the delicate patterns on the base and sides refract the light beautifully in kaleidoscopic patterns. Produced in Osaka’s Temma district since the 19th century, Temma Kiriko is characterised by its gentle, rounded patterning, in contrast to the sharper designs of the better-known Edo Kiriko glassware from Tokyo.

Keeping the tradition alive today is Kiriko Kobo Rau, which operates the Temma Kiriko Gallery store and also offers workshop experiences.

With a history dating back 1,600 years, Sakai knives are prized by chefs across Japan for their durability and sharpness. It takes several specialised artisans to make one of these single-edged blades: one to hammer and forge the steel into a rudimentary blade, another to sharpen and polish it, and yet another (usually at the retail point) to attach the handle and engrave a name on the blade.

Sakai knives can be found in cutlery stores across Osaka prefecture, but to learn more about them, why not take a trip to the source? The Sakai City Traditional Crafts Museum is free and has a whole floor dedicated to the history and production of these knives. The museum also has a retail section selling a remarkable variety of knives, scissors, garden shears and whetstones to keep those blades in tip-top condition.

Alternatively, head to Doguyasuji Shotengai shopping street in Osaka’s Chuo ward, where the Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide store deals in a great array of authentic Sakai knives.

Hariko is a type of papier-mâché used throughout Japan to make ornaments and toys such as masks, dolls and animal models. Typically, high-quality Japanese paper, or washi, is layered with glue onto a wooden mould, then dried, removed from the mould, and painted.

Osaka Hariko dates back to the 17th century and is a designated traditional craft of the prefecture. The most popular Osaka Hariko are brightly painted tiger dolls fitted with wobbly heads. Seen as lucky charms, these tigers are used as decorations during the Children’s Day festival on May 5 and during the local Shinnosai Festival in November.

Being hollow and made of paper they make great lightweight souvenirs and come in diverse sizes. You can find hariko tigers at the Yamamoto Ningyo doll store in the Chuo ward.

Naniwa Suzuki is a type of hand-crafted pewterware that has been made in Osaka since the 17th century. The pewter used is an alloy of mainly tin with a little silver and copper mixed in to give it some strength and durability. This alloy is then cast in a mould, before being shaped and polished to a distinctive silvery-white sheen. Typical products include cups, flasks, teapots, chopstick rests and vases.

Naniwa Suzuki pewterware looks pretty, is easy to clean and, unlike other metals, won’t affect the taste of your drinks. Osaka Suzuki is the only company still producing Naniwa Suzuki. Some of their products are available at the Hankyu department store in Umeda and at the Takashimaya department store in Namba, or you can visit Osaka Suzuki directly and buy their wares there.