(みんげいひん)

みんげいひん
noun
folk craft; traditional handicraft
culture
1. folk craft; traditional handicraft; folk art object
A handmade item produced by ordinary people using traditional techniques, valued for its practical beauty and regional character. Includes pottery, textiles, lacquerware, woodwork, and similar crafts.
旅先(たびさき)民芸品(みんげいひん)()った
I bought a folk craft item while traveling.
This region's folk crafts are famous for their pottery.
I found handmade lacquerware at a folk craft shop.
An exhibition showcasing folk crafts from various regions is being held.

Refers to handcrafted items made by common people using traditional local techniques. The concept is closely tied to the 民芸運動(みんげいうんどう) (mingei movement), founded by 柳宗悦(やなぎむねよし) in the 1920s, which championed the beauty of everyday utilitarian objects made by unnamed craftspeople.

Common collocations

Examples of mingei

  • こけし: wooden dolls from Tohoku
  • 益子焼(ましこやき): Mashiko pottery
  • 南部鉄器(なんぶてっき): Nambu ironware
  • 琉球(りゅうきゅう)ガラス: Okinawan glass

Related words