Handicraft nurtured with the natural features in the land.

We have inherited from our ancestors the traditional casting techniques in the Okubo area of Kashiwazaki.
Due to its geographical location near the port where “Kitamaebune”, cargo ships between Osaka and Hokkaido, would drop by during the Edo to Meiji eras, and due to the compatibility of its soil for metalcasting, the metalcasting industry flourished in this area of Okubo.
With quality sand on the beach and charcoal in the mountains, our ancestors acquired the raw materials of casting from the local environment, and made it their business to create tools that would accompany us in our daily lives. We have not only inherited the intricate handicraft and artisanship, but also the way of life that exists together in harmony with nature.
The casting products, including everyday items, jizo statues, temple bells, that were born in Okubo have been cherished by the locals for generations.
Traditional culture and artisanship are nurtured by and from the heart. We aim to continue the production of cast metal that co-exists in harmony with nature and the local community, and pass this on to our next generation.

<蝋型鋳造法=lost wax castig method>

With its roots traced to ancient Egypt, the lost wax casting method has been used widely in Japan since the Nara era (710 – 794). Without producing any waste during the process, this method places virtually no burden on nature. Using this method, one can create soft imprints and expressions on metal, and so it is possible to create castings of any shape from a single mold and a single prototype.

First, a wax mold is made, which is then is covered with a layer of earth called 真土(ma-ne) and left to dry for several days. Thereafter, the wax mold is slowly heated over a charcoal fire, until it melts and is poured out. The baked ma-ne becomes a mold, into which melted metal is poured into. The product is finished when cooled, then polished to perfection.

〈紫銅焼き=Shidouyaki〉

The bronze casting with red and purple spots decorated by flames on its surface is called 斑紫銅(Hanshidou). The bronze castings that have been casted and polished were heated by high quality charcoal with a slowly-rising temperature. The castings were then taken out at the perfect time just before they start to deform under the heat in order to obtain the beautiful mottling.

本焼き(Honyaki) is the traditional method of Shidouyaki that does not use any catalysts. Each and every piece created is unique and no two are the same. Each piece is given a life of its own, and it grows and evolves as time passes.

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