The last standing spinning top maker
In Momoyama period (1568-1600), imperial court ladies used to wind bright-colored kimono fabric strips around a bamboo rod to make a “tatami room spinning top”, the ancestor of modern Kyo-koma, or Kyoto spinning top. The craft of spinning top making has long flourished, but now Jakkyu remains the only place in Kyoto to carry on this unique tradition. No edged tools are involved in Kyo-koma shaping process: flat cotton strips dyed in vivid colors are rolled around a bamboo rod using only fingers. Even today, elegant Kyoto spinning tops are popular for their beautiful smooth rotation.

Solemn splendor of gold
Gold leaf stamping technique, originally used for decoration of various religious furnishings, fittings and statues in Buddhist temples, consists of gluing gold leaves to the plane or three-dimensional surface with the help of urushi lacquer. Kyoto gold leaf stamping is characterized by a luxurious rich gloss created by the meticulous handwork of high-skilled artisans. Studio’s master craftsman Norifumi Fujisawa is actively engaged not only in Buddhist fittings decoration, but also in numerous fashion and interior design collaborations.

Delicate handmade candlelight
In Kyoto, where the headquarters of all the Buddhist sects are located, handmade warosoku (Japanese candle) production is a highly valued traditional craft. Due to the vegetal origin of materials (warosoku are made from haze tree wax, washi paper and vegetal fibres), they don’t release oily smoke or soot while burning. Nakamura Rosoku, Japanese candle maker since 1887, is still following the traditional method of shaping candles one by one with the help of a wooden mould and applying the last coat of melted wax by hands. Warosoku made by this technique are appreciated for their bright shimmering flame.

The ultimate protector of Kyoto-style umbrella tradition
Established more than 100 years ago, Hiyoshiya is actually the only producer of Kyo-wagasa, traditional Kyoto-style umbrella, which plays an important role in various cultural events such as outdoor tea ceremonies, Noh and Kabuki stage performances, as well as solid and rustic umbrella for general use. Kyo-wagasa, made from carefully selected bamboo and washi (Japanese paper), is held in high esteem in Japan and overseas. Recently, Hiyoshiya has also been actively designing and producing new lifestyle products, such as lighting equipment, using traditional umbrella-making methods and techniques.

Sacred purity of unfinished wood
The studio is specializing in woodworking, producing furnishings and votive objects for Shinto shrines and religious ceremonies. Ceremonial implements are generally made of unfinished wood without any lacquer coating. Beautiful white-grained hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood is believed to represent the concept of purity so important in Shinto religion. Sometimes artisan even purifies himself and puts on white clothing before starting to work. The impressive array of assembled woodwork planes can tell you a remarkable story of Kyoto traditional wood joint-making and bending techniques.

Silvery gloss created by careful polishing
Silvery gloss is the greatest feature of Kyo-gawara, the tiles that cover the roofs of temples and shrines. Kyoto tiles are made from high-quality clay, polished with a metal spatula until they are shiny and fired in a kiln at a high temperature. Asada Kawara is the only factory which still produces Kyoto tiles by hand. Onigawara (ridge-end tiles bearing the face of a demon), an indispensable element of traditional buildings, are reproduced here for restoration purposes after a thorough research about their style, materials and production method.

Karakami paper that adorns Shinto shrines, Buddist temples and tearooms

Simply put, Kyo-karakami is a type of woodblock print which uses printing blocks hand-carved on magnolia wood with traditional patterns passed down from ancient times. It is produced by a traditional method where coloring materials called kira (mica) and gofun (white pigment) are added to its surface, and the design is copied with the palm of the hand by overlaying it onto washi paper or torinoko (lustrous and smooth paper) one sheet at a time. To this day, Maruni continues to use printing blocks from the Tempo Era (1830-1844) and protects the patterns, coloring materials, tools, and traditions of old.

Our company is a group of paper processing professionals who have been involved in the paper industry for nearly 100 years.
We have been producing products for various temples and shrines for many years.
Products are made by a combination of craftsmen’s hands and machines, using thin to thick paper and fabrics.
Various custom-made products are created by combining various skilled techniques such as cutting, folding, pasting, wrapping, rolling, and binding.