Showing 1 - 10 of 15
'Artists of steel': Japanese swords forge new fanbase
AFP, Published on 11/02/2026
» MISATO, SAITAMA (JAPAN) - Sparks illuminate the soot-covered studio of Japanese swordsmith Akihira Kawasaki as his apprentice hammers red-hot steel, showcasing a millennium-old craft now enjoying a resurgence in popularity.
Ancient Myanmar ball game battles for survival in troubled nation
AFP, Published on 03/06/2025
» YANGON - Mastering control of the rising and falling rattan chinlone ball teaches patience, says a veteran of the traditional Myanmar sport -- a quality dearly needed in the long-suffering nation.
Restoring Milan's Duomo, one statue at a time
AFP, Published on 17/12/2024
» MILAN (ITALY) - In a workshop in the Milan suburbs, sculptor Giovanni Calderino completes his latest project -- a battered statue from the top of the Italian city's gothic cathedral, and its gleaming white replacement.
'Can't keep up': pandemic cooking boom sharpens Japan knife sales
AFP, Published on 09/01/2023
» SEKI (JAPAN) - In a Japanese city once famous for forging samurai swords, craftsmen sharpen and polish kitchen knives, but even at full tilt their small factory can't keep up with global demand.
Hong Kong mahjong carver among the last of his kind
AFP, Published on 03/08/2022
» Eyebrows furrowed in careful concentration as he chisels images and Chinese characters onto mahjong tiles, 70-year-old Cheung Shun-king is one of the last craftsmen of his kind in Hong Kong.
Ukraine armoury turns to making bullet-proof vests for troops
AFP, Published on 02/05/2022
» ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine: Ukrainian armour-maker Vadim Mirnichenko used to specialise in swords and breastplates for medieval jousting competitions -- but after Russia invaded his homeland, he turned his passion for historical weaponry to the modern day.
'Que pasa, New York?': John Lennon and the city that set him free
AFP, Published on 05/12/2020
» NEW YORK - On December 8, 1980 the filigree gates of New York's Dakota residence across from Central Park went down in history as the spot John Lennon was shot dead.
Drive-ins, scattered huts: German Xmas markets find ways around virus
AFP, Published on 29/11/2020
» LANDSHUT (GERMANY) - Chestnuts roasting, mulled wine steaming and music blaring from wooden chalets lined with artificial snow -- the Landshut Christmas market in southern Germany has all the usual trimmings.
Siberia's treasured wooden houses face uncertain future
AFP, Published on 14/10/2020
» TOMSK (RUSSIA) - The ornate wooden homes dotting the Siberian city of Tomsk are cherished landmarks, but that hasn't prevented many from falling into disrepair following years of neglect, with some now facing demolition.
Bling no longer king in India as gold loses its shine
AFP, Published on 16/08/2020
» MUMBAI - Jewellers in the traditionally lucrative Indian gold market are struggling -- even while the metal's value skyrockets -- as coronavirus fears keep sales down, craftsmen at home and shops shuttered.