New breathstated traditional crafts born in Nagano

A traditional craft that can be said to be a symbol of Japanese handicrafts and aesthetics. In Nagano, various techniques have been polished, loved, snuggled up to life, and have colored their lives. However, due to changes in lifestyles, it is also true that many have become a "good old thing" that is a little far away from everyday life.
Did you know that there is a crafts that combine new techniques and sensibilities to resist the trend? "I want you to feel beautiful traditions in your daily life."

Iida Mizuhiki's future form tied like art

RITUAL THE CRAFTS
Shingo Nakata
Shingo Nakata uses Iida Mizuhiki, a local industry, which boasts about 70 % of the nationwide market share. The biggest feature is how to use Mizuhiki to draw a picture, taking advantage of the shape of the string and the texture of Japanese paper, and using mizuhiki as if you were drawing a picture. Many people are surprised at the first surprise of the vivid colors and delicate and innovative designs they see for the first time, and they experience two surprises that they are surprised when they know that the material is Mizuhiki.

Mr. Nakata was born in Iida City, graduated from the University of Tokyo, and produced prints and painting. When he returned home in 2016 and casually arranged Mizuhiki that he could get close to, he felt the possibility of a new one.
"I wanted to make something new in Mizuhiki, a traditional industry that is proud of, because I was used to seeing various things as a material from the experience of art production, so I can not approach different from before. I thought it was. "
Such thoughts are the trigger of the birth of the work. We promoted commercialization from my wife Naomi's idea, "What if I make it a jewelry?"
"My approach may not be a traditional craft, but I'm glad if Iida Mizuhiki's tradition and value will be reviewed through activities and works. I hope that various writers like me, like me, will be involved in the creation of soil that the existence of Mizuhiki will be excited. "
Mr. Nakata talks like this. The manufacturing that makes use of the sensitivity unique to artists has opened up a new possibility of Mizuhiki.

Nakata, who renovated the tenement house of his grandmother's house and made it a workshop. Don't do rough sketches, try to try the color combinations many times while applying a mizuhiki to the base of the wood that you cut out yourself. Recently, the width of the work, such as a combination with metal, has also expanded. From July 27 to September 1st, a solo exhibition will be held at the Uniformel Nakagawa Village Museum.

Naomi, who is in charge of the design of packages, etc., was initially worried that it would be out of the tradition of Mizuhiki, but learned the history of Mizuhiki's meaning and use with the times, and said, "The current style. It may be one of the changes. "

[Ritual the Crafts]
https://www.ritual-dolmen.com/

INFORMATION Ginza NAGANO But we will handle some products

Unknown areas of lacquer x leather pioneered by passion for evolution

Unbearable and Urushi crafts
Hiroshi Iwahara(Shiojiri City)
Lacquer crafts used to be described as "Japan" in English. Kiso lacquerware, one of the traditional crafts in Japan, gained popularity as a souvenir for travelers on the Nakasendo in the Edo period, and during the Showa high growth period, Za table became a necessity for homes and inns. At present, he has been involved in the restoration of cultural property as a production area, mainly in the Shiojiri / Kiso Regional Industrial Promotion Center, and inherits to the next generation while utilizing traditional techniques, such as conducting lacquer painting of Ueno Toshogu Shrine and Nagoya Castle Honmaru Goten. Is being advanced.

Hiroi Iwahara is one of the successors who has been engaged in lacquered family business, which has been working in other industries manufacturing. However, because I wanted to make things that I could do only and what I wanted, I launched my own workshop in the form of a two -legged straw with my family business.
Lacquer has a strong image of tableware and decorations, but if you can carry it on a daily basis, you will have more needs, and you will start with the thought that young people will be interested in it. is. With a high reputation for its unique items that can be used everyday, it was selected as Nagano representative of "Lexus New TAKUMI PROJECT 2016" in 2016. In addition, he was selected at the Shinshu Brand Award 2016 in the same year.
The true value of "Jachro" is "Jachro Leather", which is lacquered with leather. Lacquered lacquer over time, so it usually cracks when applied to soft things like leather, but Mr. Iwahara has successfully tried and errored for several years and succeeded in reducing cracks due to special processing. The lacquer applied to the leather increases with each time, and has a unique presence.
A collaboration with Japan's leading leather brand "Cypris" has also been realized, and in February this year, Mr. Iwahara has a new start as a lacquer craftsman. Expectations will be even higher for what kind of possibility and what products will be created in pursuing "unprecedented lacquered products".

"Unbearable Urushi Crafts" located in Kisohira, Shiojiri City, the central production area of Kiso lacquerware. After working for a construction company, Mr. Iwahara has become a motorcycle lover, and has experienced various manufacturing work such as manufacturing and selling leather work and silver accessories, and processing metal. That is used in the development of "Jachro Leather" in 2015. By the way, "jachro" is named by combining Japan (lacquer) and Chromatics. The first product was a packaged magnet.

"LEXUS NEW TAKUMI PROJECT 2016" produces business cards with typical Kiso lacquerware called Kiso Shakuzu. Lacquered to thin materials was difficult, and the temperature and humidity caused a warpage of the tree itself. In addition, there are still exchanges with the craftsmans who have met in the project, such as giving advice with each other.

Lacquered slowly drying in a dry room called the room because the temperature and humidity are adjusted to greatly affect the wetness. "Jachro Leather" is made over a month with a technique called "Suriurushi", which repeats raw lacquer and wiped repeatedly. As a result, a unique depth is born, it takes time to be vivid over time, and as it is used, gloss is born.

[Unbearable Urushi crafts]
1905-7 Kiso Hirasawa, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture TEL 0264-34-2644

INFORMATION Ginza NAGANO But we will handle some products

New value of Uchiyama paper given by good old wisdom

Abe paper
Takuya Abe(Iiyama City)
The unique technique method that makes use of the environment of the heavy snowfall area and Iiyama City is made by bleaching the bark of the raw material, the bark of the raw material, is made by bleaching the bark of the raw material. )is. At the age of 20, he began on the craftsman's path and was 33 years old, and was affected by Takuya Abe, the third generation of "Abe Paper", who was recognized as a traditional artist in the Uchidama paper, as a grandmother's remains. It seems that it was a paper twist of Uchiyama paper. "My grandmother was making vests and ties with paper twins. I made various things with Uchiyama paper, including accessories and objects," he looked back on.

Mr. Abe, who recognized the potential and diversity of Uchiyama paper, began producing accessories such as business cards with paper twist. The activity was evaluated, and in 2018 he was selected as the Nagano Prefectural representative of "Lexus New TAKUMI PROJECT 2018". The clutch bag made of paper twist was completed. The paper twist as a material expresses a soft texture unique to Uchiyama paper by having a loose twist at the Mizuhiki factory in Iida. In addition, we have introduced large -scale weaving machines to improve and stabilize quality, and gain hints from the craftsmen of Ueda Tsumugi, a friend, and create gem that makes use of traditional crafts in other regions.

"Because the paper twind twisting is a different task every time you weave, you can't make any satisfaction yet, but it's most interesting when you're trying new things."
The driving force of Abe -san is a pure craftsman who wants more people to know the charm of Uchiyama paper.
"Originally, what I need to do is make paper, not a creative job. I want to convey the potential of Uchiyama paper to various industries and creators to do production activities. I want to increase it. "
Mr. Abe is a development project for collaboration products with craftsmen from other prefectures. It seems that it will be announced soon and shines, saying, "I'm glad just to use a new Uchiyama paper."

A clutch bag made up of Uchiyama paper paper twist, which is durable, durable, and hard to discolor as a high -quality shoji paper for both warp and weft. The sewing is finished by hand sewing that can adjust the tightness by force. If you change the color, paper twisting thickness and twist, it will give you a different atmosphere. Currently only made -to -order production.

Small items such as key cases have been produced for a long time with a small woven machine that I once had, and the ones on the left are all of Abe's personal belongings. The one on the left is the 10th year of use, and since it was once washed twice, some water resistance was found. "The most happy thing so far was the one who bought the key case for his father's retirement gift," said Abe. The photo on the right is a newly introduced large weaving machine.

At first glance, Uchiyama paper is born by making the fiber of mulberry bark that looks like gauze. The photo on the right shows that it is quite bleached by the snow bleaching before and after the snow is exposed to snow.

Abe Paper has been working on making a graduation certificate for local elementary schools for about 30 years, and elementary school students have been doing themselves from cultivation of mulberry to paper making.
In addition, we are also producing Uchiyama paper hataki and bags using wood on the pattern, considering the reuse of the trees of the mulberry that had been thrown away.

[Abe Paper]
4894 Mizuho, Iiyama City, Nagano Prefecture TEL 0269-65-2594
http://www.uchiyama-gami.jp/

This article is information as of July 2019.
Please note that products handled are subject to change.