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Crafts
Wa Rosoku(Japanese Candles)
Wa Rosoku (Japanese Candles), also known as Kigake Rosoku, date from the Edo period. These candles are handmade from plant products. The wax is made from the juice of the berries of a wax tree. The core is paper made of a rush and pure cotton. "Kigake" means to make a Japanese candle. "Ki" means pure and "Gake" means to paint over.
The Mishima Wa Rosoku Store in Furukawa town is said to be the only store in Japan that produces completely handmade Japanese candles.
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Hida Shunkei Lacquerware
Hida Shunkei Lacquerware is painted with transparent lacquer to show off the wood grains. Usually it is made by two professionals, one who forms the shape of the wood and one who paints on the lacquer. The transparent lacquer turns into rich amber color with use and age.
Hida Shunkei Lacquerware was first made about 400 years ago, when Narita Sanzaemon painted a birdcage with a light yellowish lacquer and presented it to Shigechika, also known as Sowa, a master of the tea ceremony. A year later Sanzaemon painted lacquer on a beautiful, wood grain tray made by Takahashi Uezaemon and dedicated it to Shigechika.
Shigechika was very pleased with the tray and named the craft Shunkei Lacquer, as the color resembled a tea bowl which was called Hisyunkei was made by Kato Kagemasa. The word Shunkei also means the joy of spring.
Shigechika thought the elegant and refined Shunkei Lacquerware could be used to express the "wabi and sabi", the beauty found in the simplicity of the tea ceremony, and he ordered more trays. Eventually, Shunkei Lacquerware developed and became very popular.
Kamioka town is the birthplace of Hikimono (or Marumono) which is the art of carving wood into round shapes using a wheel. It started when Ikeda Shigezo from Takayama painted Shunkei Lacquer on the wooden items made at the Funatsu Woodworks in Kamioka.
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Sanchu Washi
Sanchu Washi (Japanese Paper) was first made almost 800 years ago and is famous for the unusual way it is produced. It is made by putting Kozo, paper made from mulberry bark in the snow in order to bleach it naturally. The name Sanchu means deep in the mountain. Sanchu Paper was made originally in the deepest area of the mountains.
Hida's paper manufacture industry flourished until from 1202 (the middle of the Kamakura period.) In 1405 (the Muromachi period), a sheet of paper was given as a prize for winning a game of Go and an archery competition at the palace.
In 1586, the Kanamori Clan who ruled Hida, encouraged the manufacturing of paper. According to historical documents, in 1727, high quality paper was made in the Tsunokawa and Inakoshi areas. From the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period, there were 24 paper-making villages in Hida. Only 2 of them remain n Kawai Town today.
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Kiri-e(Paper Cut-Outs)
Kiri-e (Paper cut-outs) is artwork done by using a blade to cut around an outline drawn on black paper. Mr. Suganuma is a Kiri-e artist who grew up in Furukawa Town. He has depicted the beautiful landscape of Furukawa Town in a series called the "100 scenes of Furukawa". The culture and nature of Hida can also be seen in his art work.
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Ichii Itto-bori(Wood Carving)
Ichii Itto-bori is wood carving using wood from the ichii tree and is a traditional craft of Hida. Based on a story about the Heiji Emperor, "Ichii" is the name given to a yew tree. When the Emperor was presented with a wooden mace at his coronation, he was so pleased with the superior quality of the wood that he gave the tree the name "Ichii", after the highest, official, bureaucratic status called "Sho-ichii". Today, the wood from the precious Ichi tree is still used to make items for the Emperor's coronation ceremony and for the moving ceremony at the Ise Shrine. Demonstrations of Ichii Itto-bori can be seen at Matsuri Kaikan in Furukawa Town.
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Hida Ema
Hida Ema is a picture of a horse. It is believed to bring good luck when hung on a door with the horse's head facing toward the inside of the house. In Hida, Ms. Yamaguchi, who lives in Furukawa Town, draws pictures of the horses by hand. Demonstrations are given at Matsuri Kaikan.
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