[FILM] The Craftsmanship behind Gold Leaf Production - Contemporary "Tachikiri" Gold Leaf

This time we visited the craftsman of further beating and cutting the Uwazumi leaves into contemporary- Tachikiri- gold leaf.

It is more than fascinating to see the craftsmanship of beating the Uwazumi leaves in between carbon paper, placing them piece by piece with bamboo tweezers in between washi paper, and cutting the pile of pieces into perfect square pieces.

Those cut off pieces are called Kirimawashi and used as flakes, or to gild small objects.

The Manufacturing Process of Tachikiri Leaves

1. Paper preparation- Make the paper to beat the Uwazumi leaves in between. The glassine paper is soaked with carbonate liquid and dried.

2. Beating- Place the Uwazumi leaves in between the paper, wrap the layer of prepared leaves with leather and beat with the beating machine.

3. Cut- The beaten leaves are placed in between washi paper called Aishi and piled. Placing the object with square base on the top, the craftsman cut the pile altogether with a knife. The name Tachikiri- literally, cutting off, came from this process of wildly cutting the pile of gold leaves.

→DONE- Contemporary Gold Leaf