{"id":81363,"date":"2021-04-30T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-30T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=81363"},"modified":"2021-04-28T23:24:43","modified_gmt":"2021-04-28T14:24:43","slug":"hida-gifu-japanese-traditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/hida-gifu-japanese-traditions\/","title":{"rendered":"Hida, a Historical Valley of Japanese Traditions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Situated in the west of the Japanese Alps, in the north of Gifu prefecture<\/a>, the Hida <\/strong>(\u98db\u9a28) region is home to many fascinating facets of traditional Japan<\/strong>. Its most famous building is Takayama Jinya<\/strong>, the former provincial headquarters of the Edo Shogunate and the only such historical structure in Japan preserved to this day. From the 8th century, the highly skilled woodworkers<\/strong> of Hida contributed to the imperial magnificence of Nara and Kyoto. Their artisanal techniques are still used today to produce fine furniture and other art objects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Hida Takumi Revolutionized Japanese Woodworking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the heart of the mountains, in the middle of the forests, Hida cultivates its homegrown crafts. The region\u2019s carpenters and woodworkers\u2014\u201cHida Takumi,\u201d \u201cmaster builders of Hida\u201d\u2014 have been working and passing on their artisanal skills for more than 1,300 years<\/strong>. They sourced their material from the surrounding natural environment, where they found all the wood they needed: cypress, Japanese cedar, red pine, chestnut, beech\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this remote region, woodworking was a primary means of livelihood. But the fine skills of Hida Takumi soon became famous throughout Japan<\/strong>. During the Nara period (710-794), when the region had no rice paddies to pay its taxes in rice, Hida instead paid its dues with wood and carpentry. It sent its woodworkers to craft the decorations of temples, shrines and palaces in the imperial capitals of Nara and Kyoto. These expert artisans are now reputed to have revolutionized woodworking techniques in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n