Story Product Journey Contact 日本語

─── What is KEGAMI ───

KEGAMI is a name woven from two Japanese words: ke — fur, and kami — paper.
Your dear one’s photograph and fur, set into washi paper that endures a thousand years.
A pet memorial artwork that is yours alone — always within reach, always there to touch.

Story

01

Why fur

A photograph shows how they looked. Fur is what they were — not a likeness, but a part of your dear one, kept. We set each strand into the portrait itself, one by one, so that when your hand reaches out, it is truly them you touch.

02

Why washi

To keep something for centuries, entrust it to what has already endured them. Sekishu washi — handmade in Shimane, inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage — is paper made to last a thousand years. Fur and photograph are fixed to it with sōkō, the conservation techniques that have preserved Japan’s art treasures for generations.

03

Made to be touched

Within the frame rest two layers of washi: the portrait in front, the fur-laid paper behind. On the back, a small opening in the shape of a paw. Slip your fingers in, and you are touching the fur itself — the gentle habit of every day, quietly continuing beyond the day of parting.

Read the full story (日本語) →

Product
A KEGAMI art frame displayed in a living room

Your dear one,
as a work of art.

Their fur, set into Sekishu washi. Their photograph, printed in archival pigment on paper that endures a thousand years. Framed in fine Japanese wood, with their name engraved on a brass nameplate — a single work that exists for one life alone.

KEGAMI Standard A3 frame
¥150,000(¥165,000 tax incl.)
KEGAMI Personal A4 frame
¥99,000(¥108,900 tax incl.)

Materials — Sekishu washi, fine Japanese wood, brass nameplate.
Production — two to three months from our first conversation to delivery, handcrafted in Kyoto.

Ordering from abroadThe Kyoto Journey
Studio

From Kyoto, by the river.

Our studio stands in Kyoto, near the quiet flow of the Takano River.
Here, each KEGAMI is made by hand — one family, one work at a time.
It is time we set aside for you, and for your dear one.

For International Guests

The Kyoto Journey

Every KEGAMI is completed in Kyoto — and received here, too. You send the fur ahead of your journey; we craft while you plan; and when you arrive, the finished work is waiting at our atelier.

For cat owners — commissions are open

Washed cat fur is not subject to Japan’s animal quarantine — we have confirmed this officially with Japan’s Animal Quarantine Service. If you share your life with a cat, you can commission a KEGAMI today.

  1. 01 Order ahead Place your commission at least two to three months before your trip to Japan.
  2. 02 Send the fur Following our guide — collecting, washing, drying, sealing — send the fur to us by tracked post.
  3. 03 Receive it in Kyoto During your stay, visit our atelier. The finished work — and the first touch — will be waiting for you.
  4. 04 Carry it home Your KEGAMI travels home in your own hands, with a guide for bringing it home prepared for your country.

For dog owners — an honest word

Dog fur requires a certificate issued by the government of the exporting country, so at present we cannot accept fur sent from overseas. Rather than promise what we cannot yet do, we offer two paths.

  • Portrait Edition — the same washi, fine wood and brass nameplate, holding your dear one’s portrait, without fur.
  • Waiting list — write to us by email, and we will let you know the moment commissions open for your country.

We accept only a small number of international commissions each month.

Once you write to us, we will send a personal guide for every step — from collecting the fur to bringing your work home.

3% of proceeds go to animals still waiting for a home.

Contact

Begin with a conversation.

Every KEGAMI begins with your dear one’s story. Write to us in English or Japanese — we will guide you from there, one reply at a time.

Commission for your catCat Commission For dog ownersPortrait Edition · Waiting List

For anything else — info@make-a.jp

We reply within two business days.