The
Kimono Journal

Limited edition hand-crafted bound journals

Kyoto, Japan

The Beginning

The story of the journal begins hundreds of years before its master book-binder was born in Kyoto, Japan in the mid 20th century

The son of a painter, Matsuda Tsutomu was raised in the Nishijin district of Kyoto, a city famed for its shrines, temples, geisha districts and institutes of higher learning

Recognized as the cultural center of Japan, Kyoto is also home to a long tradition of skilled craftsmen working from small home studios specializing in high-quality hand-made goods

Following family members into the book-making craft, Matsuda’s career as a master book-binder has spanned a period of nearly 60 years at his studio in Kitano Hakubaicho.

Man crafting kimono journal at his studio

One of those craftsmen was the maker of special cloth used in the manufacture of kimonos, once a leading industry in Kyoto. When the neighbour closed his business, he gave the materials to Matsuda and urged him to find another use for them.

This led to the creation of beautiful journals — a combination of the traditional Kyoto master crafts of book-binding and kimono-making. These journals feature covers made of materials from vintage kimonos, surrounding papers hand-assembled by Tsutomu Matsuda in his home studio.

Matsuda was at first sustained by a steady demand for books from the city’s 150-plus schools, universities and other education centers. But that demand began to fade with the advent of computers and emphasis on digital copies, as did the need for the skills of other traditional craftsmen operating from home studios.