Karakami is a decorated Japanese paper that gets pasted onto sliding and folding screens. Its history began in Heian Era (794 - 1185), originating in China.
It was an honor for us to collaborate with an actual "Dento-Kogei-Shi (Traditional Craftsman)," Yukio Koizumi from the Koizumi Husuma Kakoujo, to create the artwork exclusively for my shop, Crane&Turtle.
唐紙とは、日本の和紙に装飾を施したもので、襖に用いられます。その歴史は古く、平安時代に中国から伝わったと言われています。
指定伝統工芸士である小泉幸雄さんとコラボレーションする事が出来てとても光栄です。この商品は私のお店、ボストンのCrane&Turtleで限定販売されました。
The Karakami uses various techniques to produce. From using woodblocks for woodblock printing and creating Ise paper patterns, use of a brush to dye it, and a method called Sunako hand sowing. It originates from emulating Crest papers used in China but using Japanese papers ("Washi") instead.
Karakami became very popular in Kyoto as a medium for writing the lyrics of Japanese song poems called Waka. Moreover, it became the top medium for decorative sliding doors and folding screens during the middle ages.
The Edo Karakami is uniquely distinguished from Kyo Karakami, which focuses on woodblock printing only. Edo Karakami uses paper patterns for printing, brushes to dye the papers, and woodblocks. The designs reflect a wide range of patrons, from the Samurai class to commoners, people from all walks of life. Hence, the techniques to create Edo Karakami also reflect diversity. The method has survived many years of tribulations, wars, and fires. And each time, the hands of craftsmen would restore them, passing the techniques down for generations.
唐紙は、木版による木版画や伊勢型紙の制作、刷毛による染色、蒔き砂子など様々な技法を用いて制作されます。中国で使われていた紋紙を模して和紙を使ったのが始まりと言われています。唐紙は、和歌を書き留める媒体として、京都で人気を博し、中世には、襖や屏風などの装飾の筆頭媒体となりました。江戸唐紙は、木版画のみにこだわる京唐紙とは異なります。江戸唐紙は型紙を使い、刷毛で染め、版木を使います。客層も武士階級から庶民まで幅広く、多くの人々に受け入れられるデザインが使用されたそうです。
戦争や火事など長年の苦難を乗り越え、職人の手によって代々受け継がれています。
Koizumi Husuma Kakoujo started in the Kaei era (1848 - 1855) in the heart of Edo (currently Tokyo), founded by Shichigoro Koizumi. His Grandson Genjiro inherited the technique and business and passed them to his first son Tetsu. Today, the artisan studio is operated by Yukio Koizumi, the son of Tetsu Koizumi, and 2 of his sons.
Yukio owns multiple awards and prizes, including certified traditional craftsmanship that the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry acknowledges. In addition, his artwork can be seen in traditional Japanese buildings such as museums, temples, and Japanese tea ceremony rooms.
嘉永年間（1848年～1855年）、小泉七五郎が江戸（現在の東京）の中心で創業した小泉襖工場。孫の源次郎が技術と事業を継承し、長男の哲に受け継がれました。現在は、小泉徹の息子である小泉幸雄とその息子2人が経営。経済産業省伝統工芸士認定など数々の賞を受賞。彼の作品は、浜離宮や美術館、寺院などの日本の伝統的な建物で見ることができます。
Thank you❤️
