{"id":90160,"date":"2022-01-15T07:13:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-14T22:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=90160"},"modified":"2022-03-01T12:38:43","modified_gmt":"2022-03-01T03:38:43","slug":"traveling-takumi-road-master-artisans-japan-2-takaoka-echizen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/traveling-takumi-road-master-artisans-japan-2-takaoka-echizen\/","title":{"rendered":"Traveling the TAKUMI Road: A Journey through 4 Cities with the Master Artisans of Japan Part 2: Takaoka and Echizen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The TAKUMI Road runs along Japan’s western coast, collectively known as Hokuriku, from Fukui to Niigata prefectures<\/strong>. It is centered around historically significant shipping ports on the Sea of Japan, connecting the towns where the culture, history, and traditional industries are still cherished. The long, cold winters often trapped farmers and artisans at home with little to do, so they began to learn and practice secondary skills, which developed into new industries. Forging and metalwork were skills they could use to make tools and household goods for themselves, so these were the most commonly learned trades. But there were also products created to support old Japan’s religious and cultural aspects, such as copperware and paper.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The word “takumi” means “master artisans”: an individual whose advanced crafting skills are revered even by fellow craftsmen. The master craftsmen of the TAKUMI Road focused mainly on creating things that would last and not on the quantity of the tools they could make. This tradition of valuing quality over all else remains a source of pride to the artisans in this region even today<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This fixation on quality is what makes products from the TAKUMI Road near legendary in other parts of the world<\/strong>. World-renowned chefs come here for a chance to meet the master blacksmith whose name is engraved on their favorite santoku. Production managers marvel at the attention to detail given at every step of the manufacturing process of precision scissors and wire cutters. Here is where you come to tap into the hearts and minds of what makes Japanese quality coveted worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The southwestern part of the TAKUMI Road includes the cities of Takaoka in Toyama Prefecture and Echizen in Fukui Prefecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Takaoka City<\/strong> is situated between the rugged mountains of Toyama Prefecture and the spectacular Toyama Bay<\/a>, one of the most beautiful bays in Japan. In 1609, the Maeda family, who ruled the Kaga domain from nearby Kanazawa city, established Takaoka as a castle town around Takaoka Castle, designed by renowned samurai lord Takayama Ukon, who was a close friend of the Maeda family. Although the castle no longer exists, Takaoka retains an atmosphere of a castle town. With over 400 years of history, many traditional crafts, festivals, and historical buildings still remain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the first two days of my journey down TAKUMI road<\/a>, I witnessed this fine craftsmanship behind the scenes, including a visit to a hammered copperware workshop, traditional forging, and the making of the finest hairdressing shears in Japan. For the next two days, I will continue this craft-infused expedition through Takaoka and Echizen cities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day 3: Discover the Master Craftsmen of Takaoka Through Its Unique History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Start your adventure with a tour of the visually striking Takaokayama Zuiryu-ji Temple<\/strong>. Built by the third lord of the Kaga domain, Maeda Toshitsune, in honor of his father Toshinaga, Zuiryu-ji stands out for its beautifully designed symmetry<\/strong>. From the main gate, you’ll be able to see how the main gate, temple gate, Buddhist Hall and Dharma Hall are each in perfect alignment. From the square opening of the temple gate, the Buddhist Hall is framed precisely by the doorway like a work of art framed on a wall. Corridors around the buildings are also entirely straight, giving the temple an extraordinarily balanced and peaceful atmosphere. Although I have visited a multitude of temples around Japan, Zuiryu-ji stands out to me as a truly unique example of historic architecture. Perhaps it should be no surprise that the temple gate, Buddhist temple, and Buddhist Hall have all been designated national treasures of Japan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Takaokayama Zuiryu-ji Temple<\/a><\/strong> 35 Seki-honmachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Take a walk through the historical Yamamachisuji<\/a><\/strong> area, where the streets are lined with traditional Japanese storehouse buildings. Many buildings have been renovated with modern businesses but retain the original structure from the early 20th century. This is an excellent place for a relaxing walking tour of Takaoka history<\/strong>, and near the fascinating Takaoka Mikurumayama Museum (\u9ad8\u5ca1\u5fa1\u8eca\u5c71\u4f1a\u9928) <\/strong>which displays information about one of Takaoka’s, and Japan’s, most celebrated festivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The museum pays tribute to the 400-year-old Takaoka Mikuramayama festival, where seven giant ornate floats called dashi<\/em> are paraded around the city. The origin of the festival dates back to 1609 when the first Kaga lord Maeda Toshiie presented his imperial carriage to his son Toshinaga who in turn gave it to the people of the city. The current floats are representative of the master craftsmanship possessed by Takaoka artisans in metalwork, lacquer, dyeing, and weaving<\/strong>. In the museum, you can get close enough to the floats to admire the details of these towering dashi, whose gold-leaf-covered wheels are nearly as tall as a person. Some of the dashi even have dolls that move using automated, advanced technology for the era they were built.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The annual festival attracts tens of thousands of revelers from across Japan each May and is one of the country’s best. But to truly appreciate the grandeur of these floats, a visit to the museum is a must. You’ll need to view the float from both ground level and the second floor to recognize the sheer size and details represented in its craftsmanship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Takaoka Mikurumayama Museum<\/a><\/strong> 47-1 Moriyamamachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the museum, head over to Nousaku<\/strong>, located in the suburbs of Takaoka in “Office Park,” an industrial zone created to revitalize Toyama Prefecture’s industries. The location here is a mix of a factory, showroom, cafe, and store, but for those who want to try metalworking for themselves, there is also a workshop where Nousaku artisans guide you in casting small items<\/a>. Nousaku began in 1916 as a manufacturer of goods used for Buddhist altars, tea utensils, and flower vases, but now innovates modern designs made from tin, brass, and other materials for modern lifestyles<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our group made small heart-shaped bowls from tin in a 90-minute workshop. The process was quite intricate, but with the help of the friendly craftsperson guiding us through each step, from making a mold out of packed sand to pouring molten tin into it, we had beautiful souvenirs to take home with us. The experience gave us an idea of the many skills necessary to make these items, some of which have been relatively unchanged for centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You can also take a tour of the factory where you can see the factory floor from viewing windows on the upper floor and browse the displays of the various products made by Nousaku. The stylish cafe and shop are adjacent to one another if you’re feeling a bit hungry or in need of some small gifts to take home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOUSAKU<\/a><\/strong> 8-1 Office Park, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day 4: The Casting Crafts of Takaoka’s Historic Neighborhoods<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Start the following morning with a walking tour of Kanayamachi<\/a>, another one of Takaoka’s well-preserved historical districts<\/strong>. From the early 1600s, this area produced iron castings for household goods such as pots and kettles and agricultural tools such as plows and hoes. Maeda Toshinaga, the second lord of the Kaga domain invited seven metal casters from Nishibu-Kanaya in nearby Tonami, and they settled in Kanayamachi, where many shops specializing in this type of craft still exist. It is considered the birthplace of Takaoka copperware and the heart of the copperware industry in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The houses here are built with the traditional senbon-goshi-zukuri lattices facing the stone-paved streets. One can almost imagine the area as it was in centuries past, with the clanging of metalworking tools heard echoing through the streets in workshops behind the houses. Although the area is quieter today than it was then, you’ll find some fascinating shops and museums contained in this neighborhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your first stop is the Takaoka Metal Casting Museum<\/strong>, where you can learn about the 400-year history of the casting industry in Takaoka. This small museum contains a large number of exhibits which include historical documents, cast metal products that show early casting technology, and a wide variety of molding and casting tools. Although much of the information is in Japanese, the museum gives you a visual overview of the types of products that were and continue to be made in Takaoka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Metal Casting Museum<\/a><\/strong> 1-5 Kanayamachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Head over to the casting studio Risaburo<\/strong>, where they have been casting metal objects for over a century, and you can learn about the process firsthand. The master artisan of the studio will lead you through creating your own small tin object. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our group chose a wind chime, and we were provided with a pre-formed sand mold from which we could carve out designs that would appear on the surface of the chime. It turned out to be a bit of a challenge as the designs needed to be carefully chiseled out of the mold in a mirror image of how you wanted it to appear! While the results varied according to the level of patience each of us applied to our work, we could all admit it was a great learning process. For those who prefer a less challenging object to design, you can choose from a wide variety, including small plates or coasters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Risaburo<\/a><\/strong> 8-11 Kanayamachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A short walk brings you to one of Takaoka’s famous landmarks, the Great Buddha of Takaoka<\/strong>. This stately 16-meter high bronze statue is representative of the metal casting culture that Takaoka is known for. Along with the large cast metal Buddhas in Nara and Kamakura, it is known as one of the “Three Great Buddhas of Japan.”<\/strong> Indeed, standing tall near the city’s center, one can understand what the Great Buddha represents to the city in terms of its heritage. At such a large scale, the details and quality of its craftsmanship can be clearly seen. Interestingly, the current Buddha is the third generation statue made in 1933; the first two were made from wood and were destroyed by fires. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Great Buddha of Takaoka<\/a><\/strong> 11-29 Otemachi Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In between destinations, take some time to enjoy the well-preserved historical districts of the city, including Kanayamachi, the old town where many of the cast metal artisans lived and worked. Today, you’ll find many new businesses mixed among those which have existed for centuries. Kunimoto<\/strong> sells modern and traditional lacquerware goods inlaid with inlays made from abalone shells and semiprecious stones. Otera Kohachiro Shoten<\/strong> is a historic house turned gallery selling products for many different Takaoka area artisans, while down the street, Kisen<\/strong> creates stylish home products from metal, glass, and wood-based on traditional techniques and forms. For those interested in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, Kinjudo <\/strong>sells a wide variety of cast-iron goods, including the iron kettles used in Japanese tea ceremonies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

KUNIMOTO<\/a><\/strong> 64 Kommadashimachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otera Kohachiro Shoten<\/a><\/strong> 6-9 Kanayamachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yotsukawa Seisakusho Ltd. (Kisen)<\/a><\/strong> 6-5 Kanayamachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Koryo Kinju-do <\/a><\/strong> 2-1-16 Miyukimachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Take a break at Latticework Brewing Taphouse<\/strong> for a taste of Takaoka’s own craft beer and a western-style meal. The owner speaks excellent English and is happy to chat with visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Latticework BREWING Tap House (Facebook\uff09<\/a><\/strong> 3-15 Kanayamachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There are two great options for staying overnight in Takaoka, depending on your personal style. Kane no Sanzun<\/strong> are a pair of renovated houses in the heart of Kanayamachi for those who want a taste of both luxury and tradition. The owner has spared no expense in the decor and amenities for both of these accommodations, veritable museums of Takaoka craftsmanship. The interiors are modern Japanese, with luxurious beds, large private baths, and a full kitchen if you wish to prepare your own meals. For an unforgettable stay in ample private accommodation, Kane no Sanzun fits the bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Meanwhile, adjacent to Takaoka Station is the Takaoka Manten Hotel Ekimae<\/strong>. Located in a hub for transportation, dining, and shopping, the Manten Hotel is perfect for those looking for value and convenience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MINKA Villas Kane no Sanzun<\/a><\/strong> 4-12 Kanayamachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Takaoka Manten Hotel Ekimae<\/a><\/strong> 1-8 Suehiromachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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