Mr. Fukuraro Hayafune (早船福太郎) is the bamboo craftwork master with over 60 years of his career. Bamboo craftwork is started in Kyoto for designing Japanese garden. In the Edo period, bamboo craftwork is not only for Japanese garden, but also used to create various daily used items such as baskets, hats, cargo, man-taxi, and so on.

Currently, most of his works is designing Japanese garden especially "kakine," the bamboo wall. He will produce any over 100 kinds of Kakine to fit any Japanese gardens and house. With the traditional style of bamboo designing from his father and his infinite motivation of creating new way of art form, bamboo craftwork is spread to the many area.

For example, his bamboo products supports the "Kabuki" stage. Not only the huge stage sets with bamboo, he also creates stage grass. This grass is about 0.3 to .04 mm thickness, and he can also create 0.1 mm thickness. All of those grass are made by his hands. Machine cannot make this thickness. The reason for making grass with bamboo is the sound. If the grass was made by paper, the Kabuki actor said it sounds like paper and he cannot make a good acting with fake sound. However, the bamboo grass has the same sound with the real grass. So, his work is supporting the great acting of "Kabuki."

As the age of 79, he still do all work from cutting bamboo to finishing.

His policy is doing the best for his clients. When he sees the happy face of his clients, he said he will be also happy. However, he is also typical Japanese craftman. When his clients are not happy he gets mad and start fighting. This is the Japanese craftsman's spirits. He has great proud of his work.

Whatever you have any request with bamboo work, he will create great bamboo works for you. His blades are also same as his career. He has been using the same blade for over 60 years and it never be broken. Those Japanese traditional items and the hands technique are still way behind the machine works.

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The harmony of Classic method of Japanese Art and modern style of designing!

Stencil Dyeing which called "Katazome Hanga(型染版画)" in Japanese is the collaboration and new style of the traditional Art form. Stencil Dyeing was used be the method for designing Edo Komon which is Japanese traditional cloth, Okinawa Bingata. Those styles often closely resemble the rich Edo emotive color schemes using patterns, characters, and other motifs.

Katazome Hanga is using traditional Japanese Stencil Dyeing to print Japanese paper to creating beautiful printmaking art work. It will produce beautiful pictures and Japanese typography.

Mr. Hiromu Ito sensei is one of the greatest stencil dyeing artist, who has not just simply succeeded the stencil dyeing techique but has also made a distinction from the established traditional style to create a new Japanese art . His character forming configurations are particularly unique and led him to develop a wide array of fonts. Kanji are ideographs processing meaning, so they present a boad range of design possibiilties. It is also enjoyable to see how the national script is developed, which expands the fullness of stencil dyeing. THe source of modern print type, the Mincho font, as has been formed by Mr. Ito brings a new style to stencil dyeing unseen heretofore. Here, Mr. Ito's experience with and reputation for typographic design has come from careful study of the history of character design from its historic background to the modern sense.

"It is all about hands work art" Mr. Ito sensei said about his policy and work style. All his products are made by hands, so the every art works are different from each other even using same stencil.

He also said "I want to continue to honestly think about the significance and resuscitation of doing things by hand."

Production Process.
1. Drawing the base indicate
2. Paste up Stencil
3. Stencil carving
4. Peel off the base indicate
5. Lacquering
6. Drying
7. Finish making Stencil
8. Wet out Stencil
9. Squeeze out excess moisture
10. Paste application
11. Drying
12. Dyeing
13. Drying
14. Water washing
15. Dry
16. Finish work

Official Retailer web site "Warakutaya" : http://www.warakutaya.com/

"Warakutaya" is the online select shop for Japanese Traditional Art Works. It is all about "Wa"(Japanese harmony and art), "Raku" (Fun), and "Ta" (a lot of).

They have great choice of Japanese Traditional Art Works made by great craftsmen , designers and artist those who succeeded the traditional art method of Japanese classic art form. Their goal is let the customers find out the true beauty of Japanese Art.

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Silver Craftwork (鎚起工芸) is one of the traditional Japanese metal art form which used many aspects of all Japanese items from Samurai armers and helmets to Geisha accesories. As one of the precious metal work, Silver Craftwok has developed in long time ago. All of Samurai and Geizsha metal works are used this traditional process.

Roots of the style and family
Mr. Isao Kojima as Nobushige the second is silver craftman who has succeeded Suetsugu style metal craftwork. Suetsugu style is traditional metal craftwork from Edo period. The former Nobushige has succeeded those excellent and mastered technique form his family and Mr. Kojima is also succeeded. Now, he is the owner of Ginkobo Kojima (銀工房こじま).

The entire family served this silver craftworks. Some of their work has been given up to the emperor. Moreover, their traditional craftworks produce many traditional items such as "Kanzashi" which is hair ornaments used in traditional Japanese hairstyle, "Mikoshi" samples, decoration of Samurai helmets, and many miniatures.

Currently, his style of work is stay in the traditional way of making, but apply to the modern design form with other beautiful craftwork such as glass arts. Kanzashi shown in the picture is the collaboration work with Ms. Hayashi (林祐子). All his work is made by hands which makes all his work exist only one in the world.

Precious metal ship is the one of the great master piece with all his mastered technique.

Process
With Fire
- Namashi (なまし) : making sliver soft to bendable
- Rozuke (鑞付け) : welding on candle to make silver in certain shape to begin with.
- Handazuke (ハンダ付け) : soldering

With hammer and pike
- Uchidashi (打ち出し) : pushing from the back face of silver on resinous base
- Tankin (鍛金) : hammering with specific shape
- Katakirityou (かたきり彫) : piking
- Sukashi (すかし) : jig sawing

With Jig Saw
- Kirimawashi (きりまわし) : Cutting with the base figure
- Sukashi (すかし) : jig sawing

Finishing
- Sumitogi (炭研ぎ) : coal grinding
- Bafukake (バフ掛け) : grinding
- Arashi (荒らし) : matting with sand
- Iroage (色あげ) : coloring

Contact

Ginkobo Kojima
Private custom decoration and items are available. Please feel free to bring your plane for your gift.
Open: 9:00 to 18:00 (weekday, no weekend and holiday)
5-15-5 Higashi Jujo
Kita, Tokyo, Japan 114-0001
Tel/Fax: 03.3902.0816
Access: 9 min. by working from JR Higashijujo Station

Official Web site: http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/ha/hc17806/gkk_normal_1.html
Official retailer: http://www.warakutaya.com/

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