Lucrezia Piccari, Silvia Barbero, Asja Aulisio, Mariapaola Puglielli, and Federico Surra
Crafting Connections Between Cultures, Generations, and Territories Through a Comparison of Italian and Japanese Craftsmanship in the Lens of Systemic Design
In Shinto cosmology, Musubi (産霊) denotes the generative force through which matter, knowledge, and relations co-produce new forms of existence—a concept structurally analogous to what systems theory describes as emergence. This contribution presents a Systemic Design approach to explore why traditional craftsmanship in both Italy and Japan should not be understood merely as a collection of products or techniques, but as a complex socio-ecological system sustained by the interactions between communities, territories, local resources and local knowledge over time.
Systemic Design, applied to the unconventional context of traditional craftsmanship, helps us elucidate the emergent properties of these artisanal ecosystems which, despite their geographical and cultural distance, share similar dynamics of development, preservation, and international recognition of highly diversified craft traditions rooted in local territories. Drawing from desk research and fieldwork conducted in Italy and Japan, this research develops a holistic diagnosis of the artisanal system as a plurality of complex and interconnected ecosystems. Through the mapping and clustering of crafts across both countries, the study investigates the historical, morphological, economic, and social dynamics that have shaped the evolution of traditional craftsmanship, highlighting recurring patterns and shared characteristics between the two contexts. The research is further grounded in fieldwork involving 16 artisans—8 in Italy and 8 in Japan—aimed at identifying critical challenges and latent potentials within these ecosystems. Supported by multicriteria analysis, case studies, and collections of good practices, the study proposes a set of strategies designed to strengthen craftsmanship systems from both internal and external perspectives. These strategic interventions are ultimately articulated into a roadmap structured into short-, medium-, and long-term actions, highlighting the relations between involved actors.
Musubi operates here as the interpretative framework through which these dynamics are understood, revealing the relational infrastructures that sustain craftsmanship practices across time and space. Within this perspective, the research identifies three interconnected strategic areas necessary to support cultural continuity, local development, and the preservation of traditional craftsmanship ecosystems: 1) transmission of knowledge to younger generations, 2) internal strengthening of the artisanal system and institutional support, 3) the external promotion of craftsmanship through digital communication and cultural tourism.
A comparative analysis between the Italian and Japanese contexts results closes the contribution, highlighting convergences and divergences in challenges, opportunities, and strategic responses. Starting from these strategic directions, the research opens the possibility for future multi-level investigations and interventions involving artisans, schools, universities, local communities, and policy-makers. In this sense, craftsmanship emerges not only as cultural heritage to preserve, but as a living systemic infrastructure capable of generating new social, educational, and territorial relations through the continuous process of Musubi.
Keywords: systemic design, craft ecosystem, cultural heritage, territorial development, cultural tourism