OUR STORY & PHILOSOPHY

Zusetsu was founded on a passion for and curiosity about Japan’s ancient capital Kyoto.

 

The rich seam of beauty that is to be discovered in the city may be traced back to the 8th century when Kyoto became the auspicious new home of the Emperor and his court: this is the world detailed in Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji.

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Zusetsu is run by Cathy and Yukki from their base in the English Cotswolds.

 

Cathy, a professional artist with 30 years' experience of illustrating for the UK's top publishers, is the designer behind the Zusetsu furoshiki brand: Zusetsu furoshiki are traditionally made in Kyoto.

 

Yukki, who is originally from Japan, moved to the UK in 2018 and has been supporting Cathy ever since. Zusetsu is a small family business - Yukki is Cathy's oldest son's fiancee!

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Zusetsu is our online store where we showcase Kyoto furoshiki, Japanese tenugui, beautiful origami, and more gifts that have a foundation in the talented skills of Kyoto artisans.

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Zusetsu ART is a natural step for us, where we can pour our passion for Japanese woodblock printing and illustrative design.

 

We hope you will come with us on our journey of discovery and learning.

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