Tradition is continuous innovation.
Dento is a travel concept that closes the gap between tradition, craftsmanship, fashion, and travel.
Dento is aiming to bring together our traveling guests to this fascinating world of craftsmanship and by doing that, travel supports the tradition and communities.
Through travel, it supports the continuation of the Japanese craftsmanship tradition and the craftsmen’s communities and helps revive communities in Japan’s countryside.
Vision
- To support a sustainable continuation of traditional Japanese culture, crafts, arts, and the creativity, dedication and skills that make them wonders to behold
- To provide experiences that directly connecting travelers to the world of Japan’s craftsmen, artisans, and artists
- Help reviving communities in the country side by encouraging and supporting young generation to take on the craftsmanship tradition.
- To touch lives across cultures and communities by inspiring genuine friendship and human connection with Japanese craftsmen, artisans, and artists
Mission
- Dento is the bridge between Japanese craftsmen, artisans, and artists, and the international and domestic travel markets, allowing for supportive exposure and recognition of Japanese craftsmanship across the globe.
- Tradition is continuous innovation — Dento inspires and establishes collaborations between Japanese craftsmen, artisans, and artists with designers around the world in order to allow time-honored skills to remain relevant, survive, and evolve through continuous innovation
How it works
- From the revenue generated by travel and product purchased (when visiting the craftsmen or online), the craftsmen will receive support to continue their work.
- Dento is introducing local Japanese artisans to international designers, creating and supporting collaborations inspired by our motto “tradition is continuous innovation.”
- Dento will organise global cultural events and exhibitions of selected techniques and crafts in order to introduce and raise the interest in the product created, as well as in the opportunity of visiting the craftsmen in Japan.
Passing the Light.
Dento Foundation aims to inspire the next generation to join this world of Japanese craftsmanship.
Our goal is to support the continuation of Japanese craftsmanship mainly through our internship program.
The Dento Foundation collaborate with universities, art schools and other crafts institutions creating a platform and support program where young craftsmen & can experience internships joining masters at work in order to take over workspaces that may otherwise be lost.
Vision
Dento aims to support and guide new generations of craftsmen, artisans, and artists in becoming the torch bearers of Japan’s traditional talents and techniques, assuring that these invaluable skills continue to shine on well into the future.
Mission
- Creating scholarship platform for potential young craftsmen and artists.
- Identifying and connecting between craftsmen in need and potential young intern craftsmen.
- Collaborating with universities, art schools and other crafts institutions creating an education program related to craftsmanship.
- Supporting Collaborating with Japanese and international designers is another way to attract and inspire the young generation to take craftsmanship as their life path.
How it works
- The Dento Foundation will be directly supported by our travellers who meet the craftsmen during their travel in Japan (through the Dento project) and from buying the art that they create.
- Dento Foundation welcome donation to support its activates and goals.
Avi Lugasi（Representative, Windows to Japan Ltd.）
Touching lives - inspired by the past preserving and innovating for the future.
On a beautiful day in late October 2020, I found myself unexpectedly immersed in a journey during a visit to a charming wooden house nestled in the countryside. It all started with an invitation from my friend Kotaro to explore the workshops of skilled craftsmen, with hopes of integrating them into future itineraries for high-end visitors post-COVID.
In that rustic abode, we stumbled upon a breathtaking piece: the "Summer Sea" Obi, a stunning kimono belt. Its beauty was undeniable, and and learning about the craftsmanship behind it left me in complete awe. It became evident that such artistry deserved recognition in esteemed museums, rather than being tucked away in rural Japan.
Once again, I felt the love and my deep appreciation for Japan's incredible craftsmen and their craft, urging me to find concrete ways to support these artists and their
communities.
That's when Dento was born—a project dedicated to keeping Japan's rich tradition of craftsmanship alive and thriving, honoring their vital role in shaping Japanese culture and heritage.
Mineaki Saito（Former Vice-President of Hermès Paris headquarters and Representative of Scenery International)
Connecting people and traditions around the world
Recently, many people from overseas have shown great interest in traveling to Japan. This is because Japan has all the important values that people around the world are now seeking: healthy food, a culture that respects a coexistence with nature, and a sustainable lifestyle where craftspeople carefully produce what is needed, to be used with care by consumers. DENTO offers people from all over the world the opportunity to experience the irreplaceable culture of Japan and supports the future leaders of traditional crafts.
Kotaro Nishibori (Representative of Hiyoshiya Co., Ltd./TCI Institute Co., Ltd.)
A bridge to the future that connects traditional culture and tourism
Japanese traditional crafts boast a history of over 1000 years. The aesthetic sense and culture of the Japanese people have been nurtured by craftsmen who have continued to carefully create the various tools, clothing, architecture and other items that support Japanese people's lives, in order to live more harmoniously with nature. Today, however, the number of craftsmen is decreasing year by year and traditional industries are declining and disappearing. Despite these circumstances, there are craftsmen who are taking up the challenge of creating new values with the aspiration that 'Tradition is a series of innovations.’ DENTO is a project that provides a heartfelt journey where you can meet these craftspeople scattered all over Japan and touch your heartstrings. We want to convey to people around the world that it is not only the works made by craftsmen that have value, but also their existence and way of life. DENTO is also a platform to mobilize the power of travelers who share this sense of value. Traditional industries and tourism coexist in harmony to build a sustainable, circular society that aims to pass on traditional skills and foster the development of bearers of these skills. In "passing the light,” DENTO passes down the beauty and value of Japanese culture to the next generation. We hope that this activity, along with the memories of wonderful journeys, will serve as a bridge to connect traditions to the future.
