For those who have tired of using watercolors or oil paints on stretched canvas, Aiko's Art Materials introduces a shop's worth of traditional Japanese tools for a potpourri of artistic endeavors. Supplying Chicagoans with Japanese arts and crafts for over fifty years now (the current location opened in 1989), the shop features over 500 types of mostly handmade Japanese papers used for such varied purposes as writing, interior decoration and book binding. The papers range from solid deep reds and purples highlighted with abstract metallic patterns or printed with images of birds and butterflies to nearly sheer, textured ivory-color sheets that can be used to make shoji (translucent Japanese screens).

Aiko's complements its paper selection with book binding cloths, brocades for scroll making and a range of inks and brushes made from wild horse, cat or sheep hair and used for calligraphy or painting. For those who appreciate but don't necessarily care to create art, the shop features posters of lithographs, woodcut prints and etchings as well as limited edition, contemporary Japanese artists' books.

Centerstage Reviewer: Jessica Herman