Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

TSUMUGE (https://tsumuge.com, "the Site") is an online publication dedicated to connecting Japanese traditional crafts with everyday life.

The operator of this Site ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to respecting your privacy and to handling personal information responsibly.

This Privacy Policy ("this Policy") explains what information we collect through the Site, how we use it, when we share it with third parties, and your rights with respect to your personal information. We encourage you to read this Policy carefully.

2. Information We Collect

(1) Information You Provide Through the Contact Form

When you use the Contact Form, you may provide the following information:

• Full name (first and last)
• Email address
• Company or organization name (optional)
• Subject of enquiry
• Message content

(2) Information You Provide Through Newsletter Registration

When you subscribe to our newsletter, you provide the following information:

• Email address

(3) Information Collected Automatically

When you access the Site, the following information may be collected automatically:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device information (model, operating system, etc.)
• Referring URL
• Page views and on-site behavior data
• Date and time of access

Non-identifying aggregate usage and Site performance information is collected through Cloudflare Web Analytics. Information is collected through Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity only where the user has consented to analytical cookies and similar technologies through the cookie banner. For further details, please refer to Section 5, “Use of Third-Party Services,” and Section 6, “Cookies and Similar Technologies.”

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

We will not use your personal information for any purpose other than those described above. If we change the purposes for which we use your information, we will update this Policy and notify users accordingly.

4. Newsletter Communications

We send a newsletter featuring stories about Japanese craft — how it's made, how to live with it.

• Subscription is entirely voluntary and may be cancelled at any time.
• You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any newsletter email.
• Upon unsubscription, your email address will be removed from our mailing list.
• We use Kit (formerly ConvertKit) to manage newsletter delivery.

5. Use of Third-Party Services

We use the third-party services listed below. Each service has its own privacy policy, and data collected or processed by these services is subject to the respective provider's policy.

We use Webflow, Google, Microsoft, Kit, and other third-party services for site operation, access analytics, newsletter delivery, and handling enquiries. These providers may process personal information as data processors on our behalf, or as independent data controllers under their own privacy policies.

We use Cloudflare Web Analytics to understand aggregate Site usage and performance. The service does not use client-side identifiers such as cookies or localStorage and does not fingerprint individuals using IP addresses, user-agent strings, or other information. The information available to us consists of aggregate measurements such as page views, visits, referring sources, country, device and browser categories, and Site performance. Cloudflare states that Cloudflare Web Analytics does not collect or use visitors’ personal data. For further information, please refer to Cloudflare Web Analytics and Cloudflare’s Privacy Policy.

6. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience and analyse how the Site is used. Analytical cookies and consent-requiring similar technologies used by Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity are activated only after you give your consent through the cookie banner. You can change or withdraw your consent at any time through “Cookie Settings” at the bottom of each page.
Separately, we use the cookie-free JavaScript beacon provided by Cloudflare Web Analytics. This service does not use cookies or localStorage and does not persistently identify or track individual visitors. It therefore remains active regardless of the choices made through Cookie Settings.

Types of Cookies We Use

• Functional cookies: Necessary for the basic operation of the Site.
• Analytical cookies: Used by Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity to analyse how the Site is used.

Managing Cookies

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain features on the Site.

Google Analytics Opt-Out

If you prefer not to have your data collected by Google Analytics, please use the opt-out tool provided by Google. For the most up-to-date information, please visit Google's official website.

7. International Data Transfers

This Site is operated from Japan; however, the third-party services we use — including Google, Microsoft, Cloudflare, Webflow, and Kit — are based in the United States. As a result, your information may be transferred to, stored in, or processed in countries outside Japan, including the United States.

Where required, we will implement Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or other legally recognized transfer mechanisms to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place.

For users in the EEA and the UK, we ensure that appropriate protection measures are in place in accordance with GDPR and UK GDPR requirements.

8. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. The Site uses HTTPS encryption, and access to personal information is restricted to what is strictly necessary.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure.

9. Data Retention

10. Your Rights

(1) Users in the EEA and the UK

Under GDPR and UK GDPR, you have the following rights:

• Right of access: to request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Right to rectification: to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"): to request deletion of your personal information under certain conditions
• Right to restriction of processing: to request that we restrict the processing of your personal information under certain conditions
• Right to data portability: to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format
• Right to object: to object to processing of your personal information based on legitimate interests
• Right to withdraw consent: to withdraw your consent at any time where processing is based on consent (this does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out prior to withdrawal)

To exercise any of the above rights, please contact us using the email address provided at the bottom of this Policy. We will respond within 30 days as a general rule.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority (data protection authority) in your EEA member state or in the UK.

(2) Users in Japan

Under the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI), you have the right to request disclosure, correction, addition, deletion, suspension of use, erasure, or suspension of third-party provision of retained personal data. To submit a request, please contact us using the email address provided at the bottom of this Policy.

11. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

• Right to know: to know what personal information is collected, used, or shared about you
• Right to delete: to request deletion of personal information we have collected about you
• Right to correct: to request correction of inaccurate personal information
• Right to opt out: to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information

We collect personal information for the purposes of handling enquiries, sending newsletters, and conducting access analytics. We do not sell your personal information. We also do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the email address at the bottom of this Policy. We will respond to verified requests within 45 days (extendable by an additional 45 days if necessary).

12. Children's Privacy

This Site does not provide services directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

If we discover that personal information has been inadvertently collected from a child under 13, we will promptly delete it. If you believe this may have occurred, please contact us using the email address at the bottom of this Policy.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy without prior notice due to changes in applicable laws, updates to the services we use, or other reasons.

For significant changes, we will post a notice on the Site and update the "Last Updated" date of this Policy. Any revised Policy takes effect upon its posting on the Site. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

14. Contact Us

For questions about this Policy or requests regarding the handling of your personal information, please contact us at:

Please note that we may ask you to verify your identity before responding to your request.

For privacy-related enquiries and requests for disclosure, please include "Privacy Request" in the subject line of your email.