“Noh masks should never be made in a hurry. It’s essential to take the time to enjoy the process as long as you have it. You must engage in a heart-to-heart connection with the lifeless object repeatedly and allow yourself sufficient time to reflect on it. I believe this is what it means to breathe life into something,” said Mr. Terai.

Noh is a classical Japanese performing art that was perfected during the Muromachi period(1333-1573) and has continued for over 600 years. In this article, we will focus on one Noh mask maker, Ichiyu Terai, who is deeply fascinated by Noh masks and has dedicated his life to crafting them.

What is Maki-e?

Maki-e is one of the lacquer craft techniques that originated in the Nara period (710-794). Since the Heian period (794-1185), maki-e has been used for furnishings and Buddhist ritual utensils of aristocrats, and warriors and is a traditional decorative technique that has developed uniquely in Japan through the culture of merchants and merchants.Generally, gold and silver powders or colored powders are sprinkled on the surface, and those combined with mother-of-pearl inlays are also included in this category.Even today, it is applied to bowls and other handicrafts, as well as small articles for Buddhist rituals and Sekku dolls, and is probably one of the most familiar traditional crafts for us.

金継ぎとは割れや欠けのある器を漆で修復する技法です。<古くからある日本の伝統工芸の手法で、金繕い（きんつくろい）とも呼ばれます。器の品位や美術性を損なわないために漆で継いだあと仕上げに金泥や金粉、金箔で装飾します。

壊れたものを破棄するのではなく、割れや欠けを個性とし、唯一無二のものとして美しく蘇らせる金継ぎは、最近日本国内だけにとどまらず海外からも注目されています。

A special exhibition will be held at a physical store at Shizendo in Kyoto!

In this second exhibition, we will introduce "Kinmakisumi Ink" by KOBAIEN in Nara.

Before the exhibition, we visited the workshop and talked to the owner about the method

of making sumi ink and "Kinmaki Sumi Ink” which is a sumi ink coated with gold leaf.