Why 'How Much?' Isn't a Simple Question
It has been nearly 30 years since I began working as a book conservator. In the early years, my focus was on building technical knowledge—understanding how books function and how...
Let's Talk Story
Some Thoughts on Workshops
March marked the start of our 2026 workshops, and there was a bit of restlessness around the first class. Nothing specific—though the weather didn’t help—but we knew the alternatives if...
The Weight of Books
Since moving back to Hawaiʻi, we've kept a storage POD. What began as a practical solution slowly became a monthly reminder that we were still holding onto more than we...
Why Materials Matter in Bookbinding
When people talk about bookbinding, they usually start with structure—the stitching, the type of binding, how the book opens, how it holds together. It makes sense. Structure is what keeps...
Let's Talk Story
Lately, a lot of our conversations have been circling around change. We’ve been talking through the complete overhaul of our classes for this year — what we’re going to teach,...
A December Ritual
Every year in December, I watch A Christmas Carol — always the 1984 version with George C. Scott, usually when it really sinks in that the year is coming to...
Well...Here We Are
When we first registered the business in 2018, it was under the name Studio Kuro. At that point, “starting a business” mostly meant showing up at the Trash & Treasure...
When Tradition Meets a Coptic Twist
Most of the time, when someone brings us a Bible for conservation, we know what to expect: careful cleaning, sturdy re-sewing, a traditional rebinding in leather. It's the kind of...
Mino Memories: Falling in Love with Washi
Discover the beauty and tradition of Japanese washi paper — handmade, strong, and unforgettable. The Paper That Sings That sound of water swirling over the sugeta — when our sensei...
The One Who Was Supposed to Run the Shop
Before there was a shop. Before the name. Before the first bookbinding knife ever hit the table… There was Kuro. He was mine — the kind of cat who didn’t...
Swipe Right on These Tools: What Our Kits Say About Us
People say you can tell a lot about someone by what they carry in their bag. We say: look at their tools. At Kuro’s Workshop, our tools are more than...
Bringing Hawaii’s Royal Past to Life: Restoring a 19th-Century Scrapbook of High Society and Politics
Honoring King Kalākaua’s Legacy at Kuro’s Workshop At Kuro’s Workshop, we don’t just restore items—we bring history back to life. A recent project took us on a journey to conserve...
The Origin of the Aloha Journal
Handmade Keepsakes from Hawaii The inspiration for the Aloha Journal came to me during a deeply personal moment. After my grandma passed away, my family and I were sorting through...