Hello, this is Tomigaya Letterpress. Last week on December 6th (Saturday) and December 7th (Sunday), the event was held at the Miruru Library in Nasushiobara City. Noda, a staff member at Tomigaya, attended the event and will share the aftermath of the special workshop at the "5X Letterpress + Libri Finti Clandestini Exhibition " (hereafter referred to as the 5XLFC Exhibition). For details about the 5XLFC exhibition, please see the bottom of this article or past articles in the archives. We would like to thank everyone who came and participated in the workshop over the past two days! Thank you very much. The 5XLFC exhibition at Tomigaya Letterpress Kuroiso store will still be on display for some time this year, so we hope you will use this article as a reference before visiting. - First, let me tell you about the printing workshop that took place on Saturday, December 6th. The event began as soon as the Miruru Library opened. Participants arrived one after another, The flyer for 2024 will have the same specifications. 5X Letterpress will be invited again for a letterpress printing workshop. The program will run for four hours from noon to evening. I'm curious to see what kind of works will be created! - 2023 5X+LFC Special Workshop / Flyer - - 2024 5X Letterpress Workshop / Flyer - The program, titled "Letterpress Printing Workshop," was taught by 5X Letterpress. In this workshop, participants worked in pairs to create posters, incorporating a variety of materials into their designs in addition to type. "If the ink will stick, it can be printed." This is something that anyone, whether they know about letterpress or not, would understand, but for some reason, it seems like it's not something they've ever really thought about. Everything is made into a "print." Is this a step up, or a challenge? No, no, it's neither, I think it's more like "playing around." It's during these playful moments that we discover things like, "Is it okay for something like that to happen?" Sometimes, when you're messing around with someone and having a moment to relax, you can make discoveries and find new opportunities. For those of you who think, "I think I had one when I was a kid..." or "I guess I've become obsessed with it...", including myself, why not take this time to reminisce? ...or something like that. I want even those who say, "This is the first time I've ever done this!" to try it out. Because there are things hidden in those "first times" that we don't realize. I think that's why we use materials other than type in this workshop. - A commemorative photo of the 2023 Poster Special WS - - A commemorative poster from the 2024 WS - Within the four-hour time limit, both trainers and participants worked together to create their own works, all of which were enjoyable. The works, which incorporated wire mesh, bubble wrap, and torn pieces of paper, offer a glimpse into the possibilities of letterpress printing! - Printed by participants of the 2023 and 2024 poster workshops - >>2025 [Letterpress Printing Workshop] See ticket details [Terminology Supplement] Edition - Raised letters and illustrations used in printing. Ink is placed on the raised areas, and paper is placed on top of it and pressure is applied to transfer the ink to the paper. - By the way, the program planned for 2024 is a printmaking experience using linoleum. The instructor is an illustrator called "tent." You can see his Instagram post from the link below. >>Instagram / Tomigaya Letterpress – Post from the time of the event: "Printmaking x Letterpress Printing" - The lecturer at the bookbinding workshop was This is Libri Finti Clandestini . This is a creative experience where participants share a workspace but work individually. You will learn how to make a book using inexpensive, readily available tools, without using specialized bookbinding tools. What's more, the finished product is hardcover! It really does become a proper "book"... It looks like it will quickly become a familiar addition to your bookshelf at home. So, what did he do? - 2023 Bookbinding Workshop - There are lots of papers and fabrics on your desk. Magazine pages, scraps, The books are made using things that you wouldn't normally put inside a book, such as colored paper and scraps of fabric, so they have a unique look. The materials have different textures and sizes, and just mixing and collecting them all together makes for a fascinating piece. The tools used are all familiar items. Scissors, cutter, tape and glue. It seems that clips are also used. If you can't find it in Japan, you can probably get it easily at a 100 yen store. The paper used in the workshop included discarded paper from the Tomigaya Studio, so there were some letterpress-printed pieces scattered here and there. It was a bookbinding workshop unique to the letterpress community. Let's take a look at the actual books that were made! - Samples from the 2023 Bookbinding Workshop / Various materials, such as paper and cloth, are bound into books - - A commemorative photo from the 2023 Bookbinding Workshop - >>2025 [Bookbinding Workshop] See ticket details - What did you think? I hope you learned a little about letterpress printing, bookbinding, and 5X Letterpress. I'm glad you learned about Libri Finti Clandestini ! This special workshop is held every year, and tickets are limited, so if you have the opportunity or are interested, please join us! We look forward to seeing you in Kuroiso this year! ( Details of this year's event are listed below. Please refer to them if you are interested. - [About 5X Letterpress] 5X Letterpress is a duo consisting of a graphic designer and an avant-garde printer. They create works using not only type but also a variety of materials, all using old letterpress printing machines. Since forming in 2018, they have produced numerous works that go beyond existing concepts of graphic design, using a variety of materials found in old printing shops and flea markets. >>WEBSITE / 5X Letterpress >>Instagram 【About Libri Finti Clandestini】 Libri Finti Clandestini Libri Finti Clandestini (Libri Finti Clandestini) produces many experimental book-style works, printing them using discarded paper from paper mills and type rescued from defunct printing factories. He has also produced experimental works in which he hand-binds selected publications printed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, renumbering the pages and allowing readers to discover new stories in the reborn books. With each turn of the page, old letters and mysterious characters come to life. Due to his creative style, many of his works are produced in one or very limited runs. In order to create a work, he must conduct in-depth research into the material beforehand, and his field extends beyond editing to include photography, typography, and urban studies. >>WEBSITE / Libri Finti Clandestini >>Instagram - [Event Overview] Exhibition period: December 6th (Sat) – December 25th (Thu) 2025 Opening hours: 11:00–17:00 (Exhibition closes at 15:00 on the final day) Location: TOMIGAYA Letterpress Kuroiso Closed: None 7-26 Honmachi, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture TEL: 0287-73-8942 ◎3 minutes walk from JR Kuroiso Station >>Instagram / Kuroiso store - Joint Project Canvas Art Urban Development Association / Tomigaya Letterpress

Hello, this is Tomigaya Letterpress. The "5X Letterpress + Libri Finti Clandestini Exhibition, " which will be held at the Kuroiso store soon, was held for the first and second time at the Tomigaya Studio in 2023 and 2024. I, Noda, a staff member at Tomigaya, would like to share a little bit about what happened at those times. I hope this will be helpful for your event this year. - The workshop held in 2023 was the same as this year, on letterpress printing and bookbinding. It was held for only one day, but the workshop (hereafter referred to as "WS") was held in two parts, morning and afternoon. Incidentally, the flyer distributed at the time was produced using Risograph printing. It was a slightly offset "bi-fold" design, and inside it was written detailed information and an introduction to the WS. The 2024 flyer will have the same specifications. 5X Letterpress will be invited again for a letterpress printing workshop. The program will run for four hours from noon to early evening. I'm curious to see what kind of works will be created! - 2023 5X+LFC Special Workshop / Flyer - - 2024 5X Letterpress Workshop / Flyer - The program, titled "Letterpress Printing Workshop," was taught by 5X Letterpress. In this workshop, participants worked in pairs to create posters, incorporating a variety of materials into their designs in addition to type. "If the ink will stick, it can be printed." This is something that anyone, whether they know about letterpress or not, would understand, but for some reason, it seems like it's not something they've ever really thought about. Everything is made into a "print." Is this a step up, or a challenge? No, no, it's neither, I think it's more like "playing around." It's during these playful moments that we discover things like, "Is it okay for something like that to happen?" Sometimes, when you're messing around with someone and having a moment to relax, you can make discoveries and find new opportunities. For those of you who think, "I think I had one when I was a kid..." or "I guess I've become obsessed with it...", including myself, why not take this time to reminisce? ...or something like that. I want even those who say, "This is the first time I've ever done this!" to try it out. Because there are things hidden in those "first times" that we don't realize. I think that's why we use materials other than type in this workshop. - A commemorative photo of the 2023 Poster Special WS - - A commemorative poster from the 2024 WS - Within the four-hour time limit, both trainers and participants worked together to create their own works, all of which were enjoyable. The works, which incorporated wire mesh, bubble wrap, and torn pieces of paper, offer a glimpse into the possibilities of letterpress printing! - Printed by participants of the 2023 and 2024 poster workshops - >>2025 [Letterpress Printing Workshop] See ticket details [Terminology Supplement] Edition - Raised letters and illustrations used in printing. Ink is placed on the raised areas, and paper is placed on top of it and pressure is applied to transfer the ink to the paper. - By the way, the program planned for 2024 is a printmaking experience using linoleum. The instructor is an illustrator called "tent." You can see his Instagram post from the link below. >>Instagram / Tomigaya Letterpress – Post from the time of the event: "Printmaking x Letterpress Printing" - The lecturer at the bookbinding workshop was This is Libri Finti Clandestini . This is a creative experience where participants share a workspace but work individually. You will learn how to make a book using inexpensive, readily available tools, without using specialized bookbinding tools. What's more, the finished product is hardcover! It really does become a proper "book"... It looks like it will quickly become a familiar addition to your bookshelf at home. So, what did he do? - 2023 Bookbinding Workshop - There are lots of papers and fabrics on your desk. Magazine pages, scraps, The books are made using things that you wouldn't normally put inside a book, such as colored paper and scraps of fabric, so they have a unique look. The materials have different textures and sizes, and just mixing and collecting them all together makes for a fascinating piece. The tools used are all familiar items. Scissors, cutter, tape and glue. It seems that clips are also used. If you can't find it in Japan, you can probably get it easily at a 100 yen store. The paper used in the workshop included discarded paper from the Tomigaya Studio, so there were some letterpress-printed pieces scattered here and there. It was a bookbinding workshop unique to the letterpress community. Let's take a look at the actual books that were made! - Samples from the 2023 Bookbinding Workshop / Various materials, such as paper and cloth, are bound into books - - A commemorative photo from the 2023 Bookbinding Workshop - >>2025 [Bookbinding Workshop] See ticket details - What did you think? I hope you learned a little about letterpress printing, bookbinding, and 5X Letterpress. I'm glad you learned about Libri Finti Clandestini ! This special workshop is held every year, and tickets are limited, so if you have the opportunity or are interested, please join us! We look forward to seeing you in Kuroiso this year! ( Details of this year's event are listed below. Please refer to them if you are interested. - [About 5X Letterpress] 5X Letterpress is a duo consisting of a graphic designer and an avant-garde printer. They create works using not only type but also a variety of materials, all using old letterpress printing machines. Since forming in 2018, they have produced numerous works that go beyond existing concepts of graphic design, using a variety of materials found in old printing shops and flea markets. >>WEBSITE / 5X Letterpress >>Instagram 【About Libri Finti Clandestini】 Libri Finti Clandestini Libri Finti Clandestini (Libri Finti Clandestini) produces many experimental book-style works, printing them using discarded paper from paper mills and type rescued from defunct printing factories. He has also produced experimental works in which he hand-binds selected publications printed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, renumbering the pages and allowing readers to discover new stories in the reborn books. With each turn of the page, old letters and mysterious characters come to life. Due to his creative style, many of his works are produced in one or very limited runs. In order to create a work, he must conduct in-depth research into the material beforehand, and his field extends beyond editing to include photography, typography, and urban studies. >>WEBSITE / Libri Finti Clandestini >>Instagram - [Event Overview] Exhibition period: December 6th (Sat) – December 25th (Thu) 2025 Opening hours: 11:00–17:00 (Exhibition closes at 15:00 on the final day) Location: TOMIGAYA Letterpress Kuroiso Closed: None 7-26 Honmachi, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture TEL: 0287-73-8942 ◎3 minutes walk from JR Kuroiso Station >>Instagram / Kuroiso store [Experience Workshop – Event Overview] ◯ Letterpress Printing Poster Workshop Date: Saturday, December 6, 2025 / 10:00 – 15:00 venue : Nasushiobara City Library Miruru Lecturer: 5X Letterpress (Japanese interpretation available on the day) Capacity: 8 people (advance ticket purchase required) >>See details of the [Letterpress Printing Workshop] participation ticket ◯ Bookbinding Workshop Date: Sunday, December 7, 2025 / 13:00 – 17:00 venue : Nasushiobara City Library Miruru Lecturer: Libri Finti Clandestini (Japanese interpretation available on the day) Capacity: 8 people (advance ticket purchase required) >> [Bookbinding Workshop] View participation ticket details - [Mini Workshop Overview - Elementary school students and younger can participate] ◯December 6th (Sat) / 13:00 – 17:00 "Let's try letterpress printing" - a 5-minute experience / 16:00 – 17:00 "Artist Lecture" explains the activities of two lecturers! December 7th (Sunday) / 13:00 – 17:00 "Let's try letterpress printing" - a 5-minute experience "Playing with Letterpress Collages" - Experience letterpress while playing with words - Experience event venue: Nasushiobara City Library Miruru Business hours: Tuesday to Friday 10:00-21:00 / Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10:00-18:00 Closed: Every Monday (open on public holidays, but closed the following weekday) Parking: Available 1-1 Honmachi, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture TEL: 0287-63-9031 ◎1 minute walk from the west exit of JR Kuroiso Station >> Google map / Library Miruru Joint Project Canvas Art Urban Development Association / Tomigaya Letterpress

Hello, this is Tomigaya Letterpress. We will be attending the Meiji no Mori CHRISTMAS MARKET 2025, which will be held at the roadside station Meiji no Mori Kuroiso. The Kuroiso store will be opening on Sunday, December 7th. Below is the event information and details of the store. - Roadside Station "Meiji no Mori Kuroiso" – Event "Meiji no Mori CHRISTMAS MARKET" To close out the year, the 2nd Christmas Market will be held over two days, from December 6th (Sat) to 7th (Sun). The interiors of the stores will be lit up, creating a special atmosphere unlike usual. Restaurants and general stores from both inside and outside the city will gather, and items perfect for Christmas will be lined up. The number of stores has increased since the first event, and the official Santa Claus will also be making an appearance! Christmas live performances and workshops that parents and children can enjoy will be held within the facility. Be sure to spend this special time with your family and friends. - Meiji no Mori Kuroiso is a roadside station located in Aoki, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture. In March 2023, the station closed for a time in preparation for the renovation of the Aoki Furusato Bussan Center, a farm produce direct sales store located within the station. From April of the following year, the store was temporarily relocated to the nearby Aoki Soccer Stadium. The long-awaited reopening of the market with its current appearance took place on April 26, 2024. Meiji No Mori Market Co., Ltd. is in charge of operation, providing facilities, sales, management and other services. The same site is home to the Former Aoki Family Nasu Villa, a nationally designated important cultural property, and a flower garden called Hanna Garden. Adjacent to it is the Yoshitomo Nara Museum, which is a popular spot for visitors. - Tomigaya Letterpress Kuroiso store will be indoors on Sunday, December 7th. We will be holding a letterpress workshop to create small Christmas cards. We look forward to your participation, and will bring along a small letterpress printer and Christmas gift items. 【detail】 "Christmas ornaments made with letterpress printing" Why not try making a special Christmas design for a folded square card using an analogue printer? You will receive two cards in an envelope when you leave. *You can participate on the spot without purchasing in advance. Card size: 120 x 120mm Price: ¥1,000 (tax included) Additionally, Tomigaya Letterpress will be holding a pop-up at the facility from the end of November until Christmas in December. This will be an opportunity to see Christmas products early. If you are visiting the roadside station "Meiji no Mori Kuroiso," please be sure to stop by. For more information about the pop-up, please check the Kuroiso store's Instagram. >>Instagram / Kuroiso store - [Event Overview] Dates: December 6th (Sat) – December 7th (Sun), 2025 Opening hours: 11:00–17:00 Contents: See below ① ＜Market＞ Restaurants selling Christmas dishes, wine, etc. Restaurants will set up booths in front of the Meiji no Mori Kuroiso roadside station, along the cedar trees and promenade, and on the grass plaza. ②<Workshop> A workshop perfect for Christmas The workshop The event will be held in the community (indoor multipurpose space) within the Meiji no Mori Kuroiso roadside station. Further information will be updated on the official website and Instagram. Location: Inside and outside the Meiji no Mori Kuroiso Roadside Station 27 Aoki, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture TEL: 0287-63-0399 Closed: January 1st / March to November (once a month on the third Tuesday) / December to February (once a week on every Tuesday) *Open every day in August. Please check the official Instagram for details of other changes. >> Roadside Station "Meiji no Mori Kuroiso" – Announcement >> Instagram / Roadside Station "Meiji no Mori Kuroiso" ◎Access Approximately 15 minutes (11km) by car from Nasu IC or Nasushiobara Station Approximately 10 minutes by car from Kuroiso-Itamuro IC (7.5km) Approximately 11 minutes by car from Kuroiso Station (8.5km) ◎Parking Parking Lot 1 – 97 regular spaces / 6 large spaces / 2 priority spaces / 7 motorcycle spaces Second parking lot – 60 regular spaces EV Charging – 1 unit (EV charger) / Usage fee: ¥500 / time (charging time: within 30 minutes) Tomigaya Letterpress Kuroiso >>Instagram / Kuroiso store - [Reference/Source URL] ・Roadside Station "Meiji no Mori Kuroiso" >> Official website ・Nasushiobara City Hall >> Former Aoki Family Nasu Villa >> Roadside Station "Meiji no Mori Kuroiso" ・Tochigi Rural Tour >> 2 May 31, 2024 blog post "Reopening! Roadside station "Meiji no Mori Kuroiso" in Nasushiobara City" ・Story of the Village >> Aoki Furusato Product Center (information before renovation) ・Daily Construction Newspaper >> July 5, 2022 Tochigi edition article "Rebuilding the local products center at the roadside station "Meiji no Mori Kuroiso" - a single-story steel structure with a floor area of ​​1,179 square meters - 710 million yen" Regional News Extra NET Nasushiobara City and Otawara City >> Article dated March 6, 2023 "The direct sales store at the roadside station "Meiji no Mori Kuroiso" in Nasushiobara City will close on March 15th due to renovation work. It will be relocated and reopen on April 8th."

Hello, this is Tomigaya Letterpress. We would like to inform you about a new special exhibition and experiential event that will be held at the Kuroiso store from Saturday, December 6th to Thursday, December 25th. - Tomigaya Letterpress Kuroiso – Special Exhibition "5X Letterpress + Libri Finti Clandestini Exhibition – Letterpress Printing + Bookbinding Artist Unit" This year marks the third time this project has been held, with the first held at the Tokyo Tomigaya Studio in 2023, and a letterpress poster workshop held last year. The third event in 2025 will not be held in Tomigaya, but will be held at the Kuroiso store, which opened this spring, in conjunction with an exhibition. Their posters and bookbinding works, which are rarely seen in Japan, are on display in the Kuroiso Studio. Please enjoy their art, which "makes new works by utilizing old things." (Available for sale in the store) In addition to the Kuroiso Studio exhibit, the exhibition will also feature hands-on workshops with the studio as instructors. The venue for these workshops will be the Miruru Library, a one-minute walk from Kuroiso Station. A letterpress poster workshop will be held on Saturday, December 6th, and a bookbinding workshop will be held on Sunday, December 7th. A free experience event will also be held at the same venue, open to children of elementary school age and younger. No reservations are required. Please see the bottom of the blog for details of the experience event. >>See details of the [Letterpress Printing Workshop] participation ticket >> [Bookbinding Workshop] View participation ticket details Details of the exhibition and events can be found at the bottom of the page. - [About 5X Letterpress] 5X Letterpress is a duo consisting of a graphic designer and an avant-garde printer. They create works using not only type but also a variety of materials, all using old letterpress printing machines. Since forming in 2018, they have produced numerous works that go beyond existing concepts of graphic design, using a variety of materials found in old printing shops and flea markets. >>WEBSITE / 5X Letterpress >>Instagram 【About Libri Finti Clandestini】 Libri Finti Clandestini Libri Finti Clandestini (Libri Finti Clandestini) produces many experimental book-style works, printing them using discarded paper from paper mills and type rescued from defunct printing factories. He has also produced experimental works in which he hand-binds selected publications printed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, renumbering the pages and allowing readers to discover new stories in the reborn books. With each turn of the page, old letters and mysterious characters come to life. Due to his creative style, many of his works are produced in one or very limited runs. In order to create a work, he must conduct in-depth research into the material beforehand, and his field extends beyond editing to include photography, typography, and urban studies. >>WEBSITE / Libri Finti Clandestini >>Instagram - [Event Overview] Exhibition period: December 6th (Sat) – December 25th (Thu) 2025 Opening hours: 11:00–17:00 (Exhibition closes at 15:00 on the final day) Location: TOMIGAYA Letterpress Kuroiso Closed: None 7-26 Honmachi, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture TEL: 0287-73-8942 ◎3 minutes walk from JR Kuroiso Station >>Instagram / Kuroiso store [Experience Workshop – Event Overview] ◯ Letterpress Printing Poster Workshop Date: Saturday, December 6, 2025 / 10:00 – 15:00 venue : Nasushiobara City Library Miruru Lecturer: 5X Letterpress (Japanese interpretation available on the day) Capacity: 8 people (advance ticket purchase required) >>See details of the [Letterpress Printing Workshop] participation ticket ◯ Bookbinding Workshop Date: Sunday, December 7, 2025 / 13:00 – 17:00 venue : Nasushiobara City Library Miruru Lecturer: Libri Finti Clandestini (Japanese interpretation available on the day) Capacity: 8 people (advance ticket purchase required) >> [Bookbinding Workshop] View participation ticket details - [Mini Workshop Overview - Elementary school students and younger can participate] ◯December 6th (Sat) / 13:00 – 17:00 "Let's try letterpress printing" - a 5-minute experience / 16:00 – 17:00 "Artist Lecture" explains the activities of two lecturers! December 7th (Sunday) / 13:00 – 17:00 "Let's try letterpress printing" - a 5-minute experience "Playing with Letterpress Collages" - Experience letterpress while playing with words - Experience event venue: Nasushiobara City Library Miruru Business hours: Tuesday to Friday 10:00-21:00 / Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10:00-18:00 Closed: Every Monday (open on public holidays, but closed the following weekday) Parking: Available 1-1 Honmachi, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture TEL: 0287-63-9031 ◎1 minute walk from the west exit of JR Kuroiso Station >> Google map / Library Miruru Joint Project Canvas Art Urban Development Association / Tomigaya Letterpress