15 Creative Courses Inspired by Japanese Art for 2025

From paper craft to illustration to ceramics, explore Japan’s rich history of cultural arts with these online beginner courses

Japan’s traditional arts cover a range of styles and media. From meditative, slow crafts that focus the mind, to the bright and rebellious culture of kawaii, many have a global impact and are now internationally well-known.

With these fifteen online courses, you’ll discover expert tips and techniques to learn famous Japanese art forms. Explore brushwork like sumi-e and shodō, modern illustrative styles like manga and kawaii-influenced art, and crafts from kokedama pots to origami lampshades.

Courses on Japanese painting and brush techniques

1. Introduction to Sumi-e Painting, a course by KOSHU

Sumi-e, or ink wash painting, is an expressive art form using monochrome brush strokes. Artist Koshu (@koshujapaneseart) feels a deep connection to the Zen philosophy tied to this technique, and has worked with clients like the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

In this introduction to sumi-e, you’ll explore the brushstroke techniques to create all four shikunshi, or four gentlemen (representing the qi energy of the seasons): the orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, and plum blossom.

2. Watercolor Illustration with Japanese Influence, a course by Flor Kaneshiro

Flor Kaneshiro (@florkaneshiro) is an Argentinian illustrator with Okinawan roots, who uses the brushstrokes of sumi-e with colorful watercolor paints, to create delicate artwork.

Building on an understanding of the shikunshi, in this watercolor painting course you’ll move from initial sketch to digital touch-up of a Japanese-inspired painted scene.

3. Shodo: Introduction to Japanese Calligraphy, a course by Rie Takeda

In shodō calligraphy, characters can represent entire philosophical or poetic concepts, and can be framed as works of art. Here, calligrapher and artist Rie Takeda (@rietakeda) guides you through the essence of shodō.

She combines the art of shodō calligraphy with mindfulness. As you paint your characters, she will help you to concentrate on your inner qi with every brushstroke.

4. India Ink Illustration with Japanese Influence, a course by Mika Takahashi

Award-winning artist and illustrator Mika Takahashi (@takamiks) unites techniques such as sumi-e and shodō to create truly expressive pieces using ink.

In her course on India ink illustration, Mika shares how to work with different brushes, create contrasts and chiaroscuro effects, and craft an India ink painting with Japanese influence using memories, dreams, photos, or literature.

Courses on how to draw manga

5. The Art of Manga: Drawing Unique Characters, a course by Natalia Batista

Manga artist and storyteller Natalia Batista (@nataliasmanga) is passionate about female empowerment, and has created stories from fantasy and action to romance and comedy.

In this course, Natalia teaches you how to draw original manga characters. Discover how to create protagonists with manga-style body proportions, and tips to express their unique personality.

6. Manga Comics for Beginners: From Concept to Creation, a course by Natalia Batista

Natalia also teaches this course on planning and drafting full manga comic stories. From sketching your thumbnails to adding screentones and text with Clip Studio Paint, you’ll learn the professional manga production process.

7. Digital Illustration with Manga Influence, a course by Adriana De la Torre

Manga is known for larger-than-life characters, that express big emotions with a single sweat drop or blush. Adriana De la Torre, a.k.a. Akimaro (@akimaro), helps clients like Penguin Random House find strong character voices through manga-influenced illustrations.

If you want to create full-color, digital illustrations that express powerful emotions, this digital illustration course will help you create a three-image manga sequence.

8. Expressive Manga Illustration in Watercolor, a course by Geoff Pascual

Building off the expression inherent in manga characters, Geoff Pascual (@geoff_pascual) adds watercolors into the mix. His work has been exhibited at industry-leading events across the USA, including San Diego Comic-Con.

In this course on manga illustration with watercolor, you’ll explore watercolor methods like color mapping, and painting in layers. Then, you’ll bring a character illustration to life with dripping and splatter effects.

Courses to learn illustration with Japanese-inspired aesthetics

9. Kawaii Illustration: Create Charming Characters, a course by Ilaria Ranauro

Of course, Japan isn’t only known for manga illustration. Illustrator Ilaria Ranauro (@ilariapops) is inspired by kawaii culture, where joyful characters, animals, and objects are used in design, advertising and more. Ilaria runs an online shop and illustrates for clients like Penguin Random House Mexico.

In this course, she teaches you how to illustrate kawaii characters of your own, ready to be printed and shared with the world in sticker form.

10. Vintage Japanese Digital Illustration, a course by Pierre-Marie Postel

Illustrator Paiheme (@paiheme) visited Japan after graduating from university, and the country has remained in his graphic universes ever since. He has worked with agencies for brands such as Pepsi and Segafredo, and loves vintage-style illustration.

In this course, learn to create a vintage-look illustration inspired by Japanese culture with both traditional and digital skills. You’ll learn how to achieve a ’60s screen-printed poster aesthetic.

Courses on Japanese crafts for homeware and decor

11. Kumiko: Learn Japanese Woodworking Design, a course by Matt Kenney

The Japanese woodworking technique of kumiko consists of making patterns from small pieces of interlocking wood. Matt Kenney (@mekwoodworks) is an expert in constructing furniture with a meaning beyond function, and published a book—The Art of Kumiko—on the subject.

In this course on kumiko woodwork, you’ll learn to combine geometry, patterns, and clean lines to cut an intricate wood panel, ready to integrate into a piece of furniture.

12. Design Your Own Paper Lamp, a course by Kate Colin

Inspired by origami and Scandinavian design, Kate Colin (@kate_colin_design) is a paper-folding artist whose geometric pieces have been exhibited in the London Design Fair and Manchester Craft & Design Center.

In this course, you’ll learn how to create a unique origami-inspired lampshade with a colorful lotus design, by learning various paper-folding techniques and crease patterns.

13. Creation of Origami Lamps with Paper, a course by Estela Moreno

Estela Moreno, better known as Cartoncita (@cartoncita), is an expert in origami and set design, and here offers two other origami lamp designs you may want to try out.

In her origami course, you’ll discover the tools and basic folding techniques to create a traditional lamp and a modular kusudama style lamp.

14. Kokedamas: Create Natural Moss Pots, a course by Omotesandō Plants

Kokedamas, or moss pots, are a 500-year-old technique for creating plant pots made entirely with moss, usually in a rounded shape. Joan Català (@omotesandoplants), founder of Omotesandō, takes inspiration from this technique to craft modern designs.

In this course, explore this meditative activity as you make your own kokedama. Learn about substrates, care, and everything you’ll need for your plant to thrive.

15. Introduction to Kintsugi: Repair Your Pottery with Gold, a course by Clara Graziolino

Finally, discover the art of restoring broken pottery, kintsugi: using gold dust, the breakages are reconnected without hiding their story. Clara Graziolino (@claragraziolino) is a ceramist and kintsugi expert who has collaborated with brands such as Shiseido.

In her course, learn to apply this technique and restore your own ceramic pieces using modern materials like epoxy glue, and two different approaches.

Extended article by @lauren_duplessis.

Deepen your knowledge of Japanese arts and crafts with these resources

1. Bring Japanese design to your home interiors with these four online courses.

2. Watch these seven free manga and sumi-e tutorials to level up your drawing skills.

3. Learn about thirteen iconic manga artists who made history.

4. Download hundreds of free Japanese firework illustrations with this library.