‘workshop’ カテゴリーのアーカイブ

Sakuda gold leaf workshop

2013年1月20日 日曜日

Remains of gold leaf refuse are used as reuse for gold leaf, sprinkle in sake or tea or on food, adding in lotion.  Gold leaf production in Kanazawa accounts for 99 percent of Japan’s total gold leaf production.

Artisan inspects gold leaf, which is placed between sheets of specially processed Washi, Japanese paper. Washi is processed by soaking in the water mixed with astringent persimmon juice, straw ash and white part of egg for around 3 months.

One bundle has 1,800 sheets of Washi, and between Washi gold leaf sheet is placed like a sandwich.

The pounding machine imported from Germany is used to roll out the gold leaf sheet. 3 minutes beats and 10 minutes rest for cool down during  3 days repeat is carried out.

Big sounds accompanying the machine running is somewhat enjoyable for visitors.

カテゴリー: kanazawa, workshop | コメントは受け付けていません。

Yew Tree Carving in Hida Takayama

2012年11月11日 日曜日

Yew Trees grow thick in the mountain area in Takayama. In England, Yew tree was used to make a bow. Yew tree bow was so strong and pliable that an arrow shot from Yew tree bow was able to penetrate iron armor of enemy soldiers. It is said why England defeated foreign army.

The seed cones are bright red berry-like fruits.

The end of the fruit is open.

This Ichi is designated as a preservation tree of Takayama city. Male strain and female strain, so dioecious plant. Some effort to find female strain was needed for me.

One of the old-established carving workshop, Tsuda chokoku which has a 170 year history and is situated near Takayama Jinya. Yew tree is called Ichii in Japanese.

Many differen types of chisels are used for carving.

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Owl carvings. Fukuro is the name of the bird in Japanese,  and it means that hardship will not come to you. It is a good luck charm. As time passes, Yew tree carvings turn black. Newly caved yew tree is plain color.

Netsuke and other carvings.

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Kaga Yuzen silk dyeing

2012年4月24日 火曜日

Kaga Yuzen is a silk dyeing of traditional designs, which has flourished as one of traditional arts and crafts unique to Kanazawa. The yuzen artisan explains his joint work with overseas visitors to color the design on silk.

One design is painted by each visitor. So, a visitor chooses one of the patterns.

The visitor starts coloring a butterfly pattern.

The designs are drawn with indigo plant ink, called Aobana. Aobana juice is extracted from Tsuyukusa which is translated as a spiderwort or a dayflower. You can enjoy the coloring of designs.

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Pottery Shaping Demonstration

2012年3月24日 土曜日

The fifth generation of Kutani Kosen-Gama pottery kiln workshop demonstrated how to shape porcelain to visitors overseas. He throwed a rice bowl and a Sake bottle on an electric powered potter’s wheel. He made them less than ten minutes. We admired his skillfull technique with hand clapping. This Kutani pottery kiln was founded in 1870.

カテゴリー: kanazawa, workshop | コメントは受け付けていません。

Kutani Kosenkama Pottery Kiln

2011年9月20日 火曜日

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Potter’s wheel room to throw clay shapes.

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Shaped clay items are put on the shelves for drying.

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Kutani pottery has about 350 years of history.  Different styles and techniques are characteristic for each era.

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The room to demonstrate throwing technique for visitors.

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The kiln to fire shaped clay products. Electricity and red pine firewood are used for the kiln. Red pine firewood is for to get a pale color.

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Clay form shrinks 10 per cent from the original after firing.

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Painting experiment is provided for applicant.

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Gold Leaf workshop in Kanazawa

2011年9月14日 水曜日

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99 per cent of Gold Leaf produced in Japan comes from workshops in Kanazawa. This is the final process of cutting gold leaf into two types of dimensions. one is 1o9 mm square, the other is 127 mm square.

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Bamboo stick is used to transfer gold leaf to a handy work stand.

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Delicate skills are required to remove the gold leaf.

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To cut gold leaf into standard dimensions by using bamboo cutting frame. Bamboo cutting tools are used to avoid static electricity. The craftwoman sits still to do her job. When I guided foreign tourists to this workshop, Do her legs become numb ?  asked some tourist.

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Gold leaf folding screen is on display. Gorgeous !!

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3 piles of gold leaf Sake marital cups for martrimonial ceremony. To use for San-San-Kudo ceremony.

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