Arakawa's Artisans
Arakawa Ward Traditional Crafts Preservation Society
Artisanal Skills Still Passed Down Today in Arakawa
Artisanal Skills Still Passed Down Today in Arakawa
Metal engraving
A metalworking technique that uses chisels to carve patterns into metals such as gold, silver, and copper, create openwork designs, or inlay other metals. Introduced from the continent during the Kofun period, it has been widely used in the creation of jewelry, armor, and ritual implements.The techniques are broadly categorized into hairline engraving, openwork engraving, raised engraving, nanako (fish-scale inlay), and zogan (inlay).
During the Edo period, the art reached its pinnacle with the development of exquisite decorative techniques, exemplified by the “three-part set” (mitokoromono) consisting of the kozuka (pommel), kogai (sword hilt ornament), and menuki (sword guard ornament). In modern times, these techniques evolved into decorative methods for items such as vases intended for Western markets, and today they are also utilized in jewelry making.
Arakawa's Artisans
