IT may seem an unlikely link-up, but traditional Irish craft, inspired by stone walls in the Mourne mountains and irregular angles of the Giant's Causeway, is taking root among Tokyo's artistic set.
Co Down jeweller Geraldine - Ger - Kane fell in love with Japan on what was to be a short working holiday five years ago and is now selling her sought-after collections in the city's fashionable Daikanyama district.
It is all thanks to her friend, Mizue Mitsuhasi, who opened Irish craft boutique 'Stor' last October, with the aim of bringing a range of high quality, contemporary Northern Irish craft to "intrigued" Japanese consumers.
Feedback so far has exceeded expectations, with discerning Tokyo shoppers keen to snap up Ger's Irish landscape themed creations, along with other home-grown crafts by talented Northern Ireland 'makers' , including ceramics and hand-carved wooden sculptures.
After studying metalsmithing and jewellery at Ulster University, Belfast, Ger, who is helping source out more local products for export, said she was delighted to consult on the project and dispel the general perception in Japan that Irish craft was confined to linen and Aran 'fisherman' sweaters.
Working with her sister Helen, who lives in Belfast, her 'Isle' jewellery brand features three main collections - the 'Cloch' range of "imperfect circles", inspired by stone walls in the Mourne mountains (where the siblings grew up); 'Fionn', reflecting irregular angles of the Giant's Causeway; and 'Flora' - echoing "the patterns and rhythms" of hedgerows in and around Annalong and Newcastle.
"The logistics of creating jewellery in Northern Ireland are a little difficult, so the designing is mainly done when I'm back home," Ger explained.
"Also, the tools and services such as casting aren't that readily available in Japan, but we are learning how to overcome obstacles to create 'making' processes that are as simple and streamline as our designs.
"There is a lot of exciting contemporary design coming out of Northern Ireland these days, not just product design, but coffee shops and restaurants, heralding a change in atmosphere and optimism."
The Japanese language is also something Ger has had to take on board in business, adapting to different levels of civility: a "simple, casual" tone is reserved for close friends and family, while a longer, more formal approach is employed to address customers and VIPs.
"The customer service in Japan is unbelievable, with the level of care and attention to detail incredibly high," Ger added.
"Packaging is also key; customers expect high quality, well-designed packaging, no matter how small the product.
"It all makes doing business in Japan a complex and delicate undertaking."
One area, however, where Japanese and Irish design naturally meld, is in the modern interpretation of traditional techniques.
"That fresh, modern interpretation of the past is something that Japan does incredibly well, so I guess there is a natural affinity between this new wave of Irish design and long-established Japanese design," Ger said.
"I hope we can introduce more cross-overs between Irish and Japanese designers through Stor, bringing a joint appreciation of tradition and contemporary outlook to even greater public attention.
"It's great that in a global age of mass production and digital machinery, the joy of craftsmanship is being appreciated more than ever."
And, according to Alan Kane, chief executive, Craft NI, exporting is "essential" to the success and long-term sustainability of the flourishing craft sector in the north.
"The most recent figures we have are from 2012 and they show that 38 per cent of craft makers export their work," he said.
"That's quite high for a sector made up of so many micro-businesses and I believe this figure has increased significantly in recent years."
Europe and America presented "really strong" opportunities for Northern Ireland makers, he said, due to the decreased value of the pound, while Japan was a "new and exciting" market with significant growth potential.
