MONO JAPAN | craft and design fair

Admire high-end Japanese craft and design in the city of Rotterdam at MONO JAPAN!

Traditional Japanese crafts

At MONO JAPAN, around 25 makers practising traditional Japanese crafts come together to exhibit, sell and teach their creations. Everything from ceramics to textiles, woodwork to tea and sake is made with skills that were passed down through generations. A contemporary mindset enriches many of the designs.

The festival is in its seventh year, and this year is held in Rotterdam for the first time. Exhibitions are on at the Hotel âme and Supernova Hotel, and the Nieuwe Instituut hosts the cultural programme.

What does mono mean?

Mono is Japanese for "thing", or "object". The word is often used to describe traditional items, such as the kimono or kakemono. MONO JAPAN not only brings high-quality products to Rotterdam, but it also aims to introduce a Japanese way of living with objects that go beyond simply owning them.

Cultural festival

MONO JAPAN is also a small cultural festival, with a range of workshops, presentations and lectures that introduce Japanese crafts and culture to the European audience. The programme is extremely diverse, ranging from workshops on knife sharpening or the chance to take part in a Japanese tea ceremony to flower arranging or creating your own moss balls.

Attending MONO JAPAN

The venues are all within a 15-minute walk of each other, and easily accessible by metro, with stop Eendrachtsplein being the closest to all of them. 

You can buy your tickets to the exhibitions or individual workshops in advance on the MONO JAPAN website.

All photo credit: ©KiyomiYui, courtesy of MONO JAPAN