Tsuzumi Double Sakazuki by Yuko Ishikawa Okuhara |
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| DESIGN NAME: Tsuzumi PRIMARY FUNCTION: Double Sakazuki INSPIRATION: I believe that aesthetics of things you use as well as their quality is the crucial element for you to enjoy everyday life and that such aesthetics of shikki requires careful manufacturing with natural materials. That’s the key to the unique gloss of Tsuzumi and the way it feels. With its characteristic shape, Tsuzumi harmonizes with almost any style beyond its origin. It is repairable and sustainable, which means it will always be with you. You would know the beauty and values of shikki when you actually see and touch it. Tsuzumi could be a rising star to spread the splendor of traditional handcrafted items. UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Tsuzumi has a symmetrical shape with two cups on either end, and each has a different color with makie on it. Normally, makie is applied to the body or the inside bottom, but in the case of Tsuzumi, it is positioned as if it looks peeking out from inside. This is the very essence of Japanese beauty - modest but impressive. You can choose either cup to use according to your preference on the day. Furthermore, the body is polished by a roiro specialist to represent the true black, shikkoku. Tsuzumi can be used to serve sake or delicacies, but just displaying it as a piece of art could satisfy you due to its nobility and gracefulness. It is easy to maintain because there is no angle between faces. Such angles would easily get dirty and deterioration tends to start with those angles. OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: This design enables people to enjoy the item for a lifetime because the more urushi ages, the more transparent it becomes, and because the item is repairable by re-applying urushi or by mending with gold powder and urushi, adding another taste to the item. The item is made with totally natural materials, so it has high affinity with nature, i.e. eco-friendly. PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The project started in October 2019 in Toyama and finished in April 2021 in Ishikawa, and was exhibited at National Art Center, Tokyo, in December 2021. |
PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: Tsuzumi is handcrafted with totally natural materials, so it is light and has low thermal conductivity, and the curved surface is extremely smooth. Due to such characteristics, you feel pleasant to touch and use it as well as you can enjoy it as an objet d’art. Only the high-skilled turners can work on this item because the finished side, which has been finely carved, must be connected to the turning machine without being damaged. One of the cups is finished in tamenuri that enables you to enjoy not only graceful shades but also its aging with time making its color brighter. It is repairable, so it will always be with you. SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: Materials: Natural Wood, Diatomaceous Earth Powder, Urushi, Gold Powder Dimensions: Width 65 mm x Depth 65 mm x Hight 100 mm Package: Packed in a high-quality paulownia box with a piece of natural turmeric-dyed cotton cloth TAGS: wood, lacquer, nature, japan, culture, decor, tableware, elegant, beautiful, sake, shunme RESEARCH ABSTRACT: Shikki is categorized as traditional craft in Japan and part of them are protected in some ways mainly under one of the ministries of the government - METI. However, the manufacturers and artisans dealing with a certain kind of shikki - 100% from nature - have, in a sense, certain kinds of difficulties. Tools and materials needed for traditional production process tend to have poor distribution, manufacturers and artisans of that kind feel unrewarded with chemical-blended urushi also allowed to be displayed as urushi, for example, and, even in Japan, people generally don’t know true beauty of shikki partly because they don’t have opportunity to appreciate it - such shikki is light and feel pleasant to handle. Materials from nature and artisans’ skills should be in a perfect harmony to produce the beauty in the items for use. Whether in Japan or across the world, such beauty could be one of the examples that are persuasive enough to make people believe that nature, tradition, sustainability and beauty are altogether part of something we love. In the 1900s, the number of experts and workers involved in the industry has decreased to about one-third from approx. 22,000 at its peak (Yukiharu Yasujima, 'The Decline and Development of Traditional Industries as Seen in Case Studies Focusing on Wajima Lacquerware', Koyo Shobo, 2020). CHALLENGE: Tsuzumi requires highly-skilled artisans through the entire process of production. The characteristic shape and glossy tamenuri finish of Tsuzumi make it laborious for the artisans to complete each of their procedures. They must be the ones who have experiences and intuition for their arts. However, the number of artisans who have skills high enough to be involved in the traditional production process of this kind of shikki has decreased due to the shrinking market. Such shikki will disappear unless the best effort is actively made to make people understand and enjoy the splendor of such shikki. Tsuzumi is designed to play one of the roles of items in the mission. ADDED DATE: 2022-10-02 09:12:51 TEAM MEMBERS (1) : IMAGE CREDITS: Yuko Ishikawa Okuhara, 2022. |
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| Visit the following page to learn more: http://authenticjapanshunme.com | |||||
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NAME: Authentic Japan Shunme PROFILE: Authentic Japan Shunme produces authentic Japanese shikki. All of the articles in the brand are made through traditional production process with totally natural materials such as urushi, wooden base, diatomaceous earth powder and rice powder. Nunokise is applied to specific items to increase the durability of them. Nowadays, it is getting rare to find this kind of shikki even in Japan. Many Japanese traditional crafts have adopted those kinds of chemical paint such as synthetic resin coating or urethane coating instead of urushi as well as using the kinds of synthetic resin such as ABS plastic or the one filled with wood flour instead of genuine wood as a base of shikki. Authentic Japan Shunme: Original Series provides authentic Japanese lacquerware. Graceful makie is embellished on each piece, which enhances its nobility. It is positioned as if it looks peeking out from inside. This is the very essence of Japanese beauty - modest but impressive. However, the body itself is already so beautiful that you can appreciate any piece of our original series with or without makie on it. The choice is yours. Another rare aspect of Authentic Japan Shunme is that it does not highlight the production area while putting importance on the authentic traditional manufacturing method. Almost all the traditional crafts in Japan bring their producing areas to forefront. That would be important for protection and enhancement of Japanese traditional crafts in various kinds. Authentic Japan Shunme, however, prefers to emphasize the quality and aesthetics for each article in addition to the production process rather than to rely on the fame of the production area. For further information on the production place of our items, please contact the brand. Authentic Japan Shunme believes aesthetics of things you use as well as their quality is the crucial element for you to enjoy everyday life, so, knowing such aesthetics requires careful manufacturing with natural materials, it focuses on the materials to be used and the production process to be got through, not to mention the artisans to be selected as skilled to work on them. When you see and touch them, you could feel the beauty emitted from within. Part of the culture, history, and spirit of Japan is revealed by each piece both instantly and over the years. Authentic Japan Shunme hopes you will enjoy its beautiful shikki both in everyday life and on special occasions. |
| AWARD DETAILS | |
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Tsuzumi Double Sakazuki by Yuko Ishikawa Okuhara is Winner in Bakeware, Tableware, Drinkware and Cookware Design Category, 2022 - 2023.· Press Members: Login or Register to request an exclusive interview with Yuko Ishikawa Okuhara. · Click here to view the profile and other works by Yuko Ishikawa Okuhara. |
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