[Gilding Workshop Report] ft. Shimada Koen Doll Atelier 9 August 2023

Please let us share about this year’s gilding workshop held on the 9th of August, The Day of 8(Ha) 9(ku), gold leaf.

The workshop consisted of two parts: First, our special guest and the renowned doll craftsman, Shimada Koen, spoke about the history and exciting stories about the Palace Dolls they have crafted over four decades. Later, participants gilded the beckoning cat / Maneki-Neko dolls, specially crafted for this event.

Cf: Magazine article; [Interview] “Shimada Koen Doll Atelier vol.1”

A talk by Shimada Koen

Participants enthusiastically listened to the craftsperson’s sincere attitude towards doll-making and passion for passing down the beautiful traditional arts and crafts.

 He also shared his intimate and unique insights into gold leaf, for instance, “Gold leaf is made from metal, yet is gentle and soft.”

Gilding the Maneki-Neko

After the talk, the participants moved on to the gilding workshop with the support of Shimada Koen and our staff.

Shimada again shared his precious wisdom with the participants through small talk during the workshop.

“The expression of a gold leaf is delicately affected, even by how the glue is dried.”“The emotional state of the maker determines the luster of not just the gold leaf but the piece itself.”

Getting to hear such stories is what made this gilding workshop so special.

After the workshop

Getting to work with authentic traditional crafts with the presence of its craftsperson made this gilding workshop very meaningful.

When all the cats were finished, participants showed each other’s cats and complimented each other- it was such a warm atmosphere.

Although gilding with gold leaf was just a part of doll-making, every participant seemed to nurture an intimate fondness for their cats.

Thanks to the special guest and all the participants, the third annual gilding workshop was a huge success.

On an additional note, the 9th of August, which we had been unofficially calling The Day of 8(Ha)-9(ku), gold leaf, is now officially registered as The Day of Decoration (aka The Day of Haku) by The Japan Anniversary Association!

We will be planning another special workshop for next year’s Day of Haku. Please stay tuned and we look forward to meeting you there!

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Enjoy Gilding the Hand-Crafted Becknocking Cat at Home! ‘Koto Kito -Palace Doll Style Maneki Neko/Becknocking Cat-”