À propos de Gyokusendō

Gyokusendō workshop was founded in 1816 in Tsubame, Niigata prefecture, by Tamagawa Kakubei. This artist was then one of the few ones who was able to master the tsuiki technique which consist in taking a copper sheet and hammering it into the shape of a container. As the surroundings of Tsubame was rich in copper, the city became soon an important center for tsuiki copperware. tsuiki consistant à donner forme une pièce en martelant patiemment une plaque de métal. Les environs de Tsubame étant riches en cuivre, la ville devient rapidement un centre important du travail du cuivre.

The Gyokusendō workshop took the technique to its peak, developing as well numerous colouring processes. The workshop started to export its production overseas during the Vienna World Exhibition in 1873 and Tamagawa Kakuhei, 3rd generation of Gyokusendō, won the silver prize at the Japan British Exhibition in 1910.

Aujourd’hui, la technique du tsuiki de l’atelier Gyokusendō est classée comme Propriété Culturelle Intangible et Tamagawa Nonio, sixième maître de l’atelier, a reçu le titre Trésor National Vivant.