Echizen Shikki (Lacquerware)
Sabae City
Outline	It is said that the history of Echizen Lacquerware starts around the sixth century. When the 26th emperor of Japan was a child, a lacquer painter from the Kawada region who was ordered to recoat the lacquer on the emperor’s crown also presented him with hand painted black lacquer tableware. The emperor was so impressed with the beauty of lacquerware technique that he encouraged and promoted the local industry, which is the origin of Echizen Lacquerware. Trees such as Japanese horse chestnut and keyaki are used for the base and they are shaped and carved using a potter’s wheel. The paint method called "Hananuri" (leave the brush stroke) is its original feature. A solid base with many coatings of lacquer gives it a brilliant gloss and elegance that is a sign of the high standard of these products, which are also known as "Kawada-Nuri", named after the main lacquer producing region.
Contact Info	Echizen Shikki Processors Cooperative Association 0778-65-0030
Echizen Washi (Japanese Paper)
Goka area (Oizu, Otaki, Iwamoto, Shinzaike and Sadatomo), Echizen City
Outline	Going as far back as the Nara Period, Japanese paper from Echizen has long been used in for the copying of Buddhist Sutras and other purposes. It was widely used by court nobles and samurai, and hence, its reputation was soon established. Two types of paper, "Echizen Housho" and "Echizen Torinoko", were particularly known for their great quality. Later, having the strong support from the Edo era government and federal lords of Echizen, Echizen developed as one of the main paper producers in Japan. The delicate elegance of the paper has a wide variety which cannot be seen anywhere else. The industry has been improving its own techniques and developing to meet customers’ needs as well as keeping the originality of this 1,500 year-old tradition alive.
Contact Info	Washi no Sato Kaikan Hall 0778-42-0016 Fukui Washi Processors Cooperative Association 0778-43-0875 Imadate Foundation 0778-43-1629 Tourism Promotion Division, Echizen City 0778-22-3007
Wakasa Meno Agatework Obama City Outline　 It was believed that Wakasa Meno Agatework was spread by Kihei Tamaya who invented the agate hardening process in the Kyoho period (1716-1736). The carving technique as an artistic handicraft was created by Seisuke Nakagawa in the Meiji period (1868-1912). The hard rough agate, which processes to a beautiful colour when hardened, shows a clear delicate lustre after it is polished carefully using sand from the Kongo area. Accessories such as ornaments, incense burners, sake cups and beads are made with this process, which requires great skill, experience and patience. Contact Info Wakasa Agate Commerce and Industry Cooperative Association 0770-56-0474 Wakasa Craft Centre Office 0770-53-1111 Wakasa Nuri Lacquerware Obama City Outline　 A lacquer painter from Obama-han (a local clan) is known for producing a special type of lacquerware by creating a picture of the bottom of the sea. Later, he improved the technique and created "Kikujin Nuri", and one of his pupils also created "Isokusa Nuri". This technique is completed using methods of egg shell, gold and silver pressing. The clan of this area at that time, who named this lacqureware "Wakasa Nuri", protected and encouraged the products and also made his foot soldiers to do some work for them. This meant that after the Tenmei period (1781-1788), many great craftsmen appeared and elegant products such as the design called "Kikusuioboshi" were created. In 1860 a chest of drawers coated by Wakasa Nuri Lacquer was presented to the emperor’s daughter, Kazunomiya, when she got married to a member of the Tokugawa family. These products were exported for the first time in 1883. Contact Info Wakasa Lacquerware Cooperative Association 0770-52-1059 Wakasa Craft Centre Office 0770-53-1111 Echizen Uchi Hamono (Cutting Tools) Ikegami Town, Echizen City Outline　 In 1337 a sword smith from Kyoto who was looking for a suitable place to make swords, arrived at Fuchu (now known as Takefu city). It is said that when he started producing sickles for local farmers, Wakasa Hamono was born. Later, in the Edo period, these products spread throughout Japan as a result of the formation of a commercial trade association and a protection policy under the local government. When lacquer workers travelled around to collect lacquer, they also sold these cutting instruments. Today the main products are knives, sickles, billhooks and garden nippers. Contact Info Echizen Uchi Cutting Tools Production Cooperative Association 0778-24-1200 Echizen Yaki (Pottery) Echizen City Outline　 Echizen Pottery, first produced at the end of the Heian Period (794-1192), is one of the six oldest types of pottery in Japan. More than 200 ancient kilns have been discovered up to now. These kilns were used to produce pots, jars, grinding bowls, sake bottles, jars for tooth dye and many other every-day items, which shows the prosperity of those ancient times. The Echizen Pottery created by unknown potters was a simple, warm and yet beautiful craft style that is still loved by many people. This traditional method is still carried on to this day. Contact Info Echizen Yaki Processors Cooperative Association 0778-32-2199 Previous Page Home Fukui Prefectural Tourism Federation