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48-528: The name of Kabutochō, literally the town of Kabuto (ancient helmet ), is said to come from a legend that Minamoto no Yoshiie , upon his return from having conquered the north-eastern provinces in the eleventh century, buried his helmet there. It used to be a swampy area till the early 17th century, when the Daimyo who were forced to participate in the building of the Edo Castle built their residences. By

96-1088: A Japanese visited a Chinese imperial workshop in Beijing during the Ming dynasty. It is well documented that the Yongzheng Emperor had a formidable interest in Japanese lacquer, yangqi , and this was reflected in many of the works produced in the Imperial workshops during his reign. In the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568–1600) also made its way into Colonial Mexico ( Manila Galleons ) and Europe by Nanban trade . Japanese lacquerware attracted European aristocrats and missionaries from Europe, and western style chests and church furniture were exported in response to their requests. In this period, hira maki-e became very popular because of mass production. The Edo period (1603–1868) saw an increase in

144-761: A cloth lining (a form called kusari shikoro ). The kabuto was secured to the head by a chin cord called shinobi-no-o , which would usually be tied to posts or hooks on the mengu (facial armour) or simply tied under the chin. Kabuto are often adorned with crests called datemono or tatemono ; the four types of decorations were the maedate (frontal decoration), wakidate (side decorations), kashiradate (top decoration), and ushirodate (rear decoration). These can be family crests (mon), or flat or sculptural objects representing animals, mythical entities, prayers or other symbols. Horns are particularly common, and many kabuto incorporate kuwagata , stylized antlers. Suji bachi kabuto

192-566: A kind of maki-e , was developed and completed in this period. And hira maki-e was developed in the latter half of this period. In the Kamakura period (1185–1333), carved lacquer from the Song dynasty of China was imported to Japan. However, many Japanese lacquer craftsmen did not adopt the Chinese method of depositing lacquer and then carving it; instead, they created Kamakurabori ,

240-611: A lacquer collection including the Edo period maki-e bridal trousseau that was designated a National Treasure. Today, Japanese lacquerware is sought by collectors and museums around the world. Modern collections of Japanese lacquerware outside Japan include the Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Japanese Art which includes works by Shitaba Zeshin and other notable artists. Nasser Khalili has run exhibitions focused on Shibata Zeshin's work in four countries. The Charles A. Greenfield Collection in

288-458: A method of carving wood and then coating lacquer. During this period, Hira maki-e was completed and taka maki-e was newly developed. In the Muromachi period (1336–1573), shishiai-togidashi maki-e , the most complicated of the typical maki-e techniques, was developed, as well as new taka maki-e techniques using grinding stones and clay powders. Japanese lacquerware

336-596: A pit grave dating from the first half of the Initial Jōmon period. Also, at Kakinoshima "A" Excavation Site, earthenware with a spout painted with vermilion lacquer, which was made 3200 years ago, was found almost completely intact. Lacquering technology may have been invented by the Jōmon. They learned to refine urushi (poison oak sap) – the process taking several months. Iron oxide (colcothar) and cinnabar (mercury sulfide) were used for producing red lacquer. Lacquer

384-927: A simple, bold design in accordance with the popularity of Momoyama culture. In the Edo period , the Tokugawa shogunate defeated the Toyotomi clan in the Summer Siege of Osaka . Japanese society became more peaceful and medieval armor styles were revived. Ō‑yoroi - and dō‑maru ‑style kabuto were made again. Ornamental kawari kabuto ("strange helmet") were made during this time that had "figures of animals , [ kami ], or various other objects mounted on top of them". Kabuto during this time were made "from materials including iron , gold - copper alloy , lacquer , leather , silk , wood , gesso , bone [,] and gesso binder ". The kabuto

432-608: A wide variety of objects from Buddha statues to bento boxes for food. The characteristic of Japanese lacquerware is the diversity of lacquerware using a decoration technique called maki-e ( 蒔絵 ) in which metal powder is sprinkled to attach to lacquer. The invention of various maki-e techniques in Japanese history expanded artistic expression, and various tools and works of art such as inro are highly decorative. A number of terms are used in Japanese to refer to lacquerware . Shikki (漆器) means "lacquer ware" in

480-534: Is a multiple-plate type of Japanese helmet with raised ridges or ribs showing where the helmet plates come together; the rivets may be filed flat or they may be left showing, as in the hoshi-bachi kabuto . Hoshi-bachi kabuto (star helmet bowl) with protruding rivet heads, have large rivets ( o-boshi ), small rivets ( ko-boshi ) and a rivet with a chrysantemoid-shaped washer at its base ( za-boshi ). Hoshi-bachi kabuto could also be suji bachi kabuto if there were raised ribs or ridges showing where

528-476: Is a type of helmet first used by ancient Japanese warriors that, in later periods, became an important part of the traditional Japanese armour worn by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan . Note that in the Japanese language , the word kabuto is an appellative, not a type description, and can refer to any combat helmet . Every year on Children's Day , May 5, Japanese households display miniature kabuto and samurai armor in keeping with

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576-501: Is a very common decorative element. A few examples of traditional techniques follow: As with most traditional arts, variations emerged over time as individual centers of production developed their own unique techniques and styles. The government has registered a number of ancient items as National Treasures. Many of them are Buddhist items, dating from the Heian period. See List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-others) . In 2020,

624-409: Is added. Generally, three coats (undercoat, middle-coat, and final coat) are used, the final coat sometimes being clear rather than black lacquer, in order to allow decorations to show through. Alongside the red and black lacquers, it is common to see the use of inlay , often seashells or similar materials, as well as mica or other materials. The application of gold powder is known as maki-e , and

672-923: The Meiji period , the Kabutochō area came to be owned by the Mitsui family . In 1871, Eiichi Shibusawa established the First National Bank there, which later would become part of Mizuho Bank . As the Tokyo Stock Exchange was established there in 1878, the area soon became Japan's financial center, with many securities companies and banks setting up their headquarters and/or branch offices. Recently, as securities trading has become electronic, larger securities firms have already left Kabutochō to other premier locations in Tokyo. Heiwa Real Estate ,

720-552: The Ming and Qing rulers generally described Japanese lacquerwares as "foreign lacquer" (yangqi). Yang Ming, and famous lacquer man Zhejiang , made annotations for A Record of Decoration with Lacquer, ... People of the Ming Dynasty once recorded: “The decoration art with lacquer coated with gold originated (maki-e) from Japan". Yang in the reign of Xuande of the Ming dynasty made a trip to Japan to study Japanese techniques, and

768-584: The chōnin class and samurai class collected inro of high aesthetic value, precisely designed with lacquer. Marie Antoinette and Maria Theresa are known collectors of Japanese lacquerware and their collections are now often exhibited in the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles . During this period, due to the development of the economy, shishiai-togidashi maki-e , an advanced technique, became popular. Early nineteenth-century economic hardship decreased

816-511: The 10th century Heian period with the appearance of ō-yoroi . Until the early Muromachi period , kabuto were made by combining dozens of thin iron plates. Generally, only daimyo and samurai at the rank of commander wore kabuto ornaments called datemono (立物), which were shaped like a pair of hoes . In the middle of the Muromachi period, as the number of large group battles increased, ordinary samurai wore datemono in

864-550: The 19th century include Nakayama Komin and Shirayama Shosai, both of whom, in contrast with Zeshin, maintained a classical style that owed a lot to Japanese and Chinese landscape art. Maki-e was the most common technique for quality lacquerware in this period. Shibayama wares invented in the 1770s during the Edo period, combined lacquer, gold, silver, shellfish, ivory, coral, tortoise shell, ceramics and other novel materials in elaborate decorations. They get their name from Shibayama Senzo, originally Onogi Senzo, who adopted

912-648: The Crafts Gallery of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo , which collects works made by Living National Treasures, moved to Kanazawa , Ishikawa Prefecture . This is due to the Japanese government's policy of local revitalization. Kanazawa, which flourished under the Maeda clan in the Edo period, is a city with a thriving traditional industry. The Tokugawa Art Museum in Nagoya City, Japan has

960-408: The Japanese government to preserve the art of making lacquerware. Through the process of designating important craftsmen such as Gonroku Matsuda (松田権六) and Kazumi Murose (室瀬和美) as Living National Treasure as well the government's effort to encourage the development of new Urushi workshop, the art is gradually establishing itself once again. The best lacquer technique from the end of the Edo period to

1008-587: The Meiji period, especially the inro technique, was almost lost in the westernization of Japanese lifestyle. However, in 1985 Tatsuo Kitamura ( 北村辰夫 ) set up his own studio called " Unryuan " ( 雲龍庵 ) and succeeded in recreating it. His lacquer works are collected in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (V&A), and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa , and are an object of collection for

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1056-1100: The United States covers the period from 1600 to 1900. Marie Antoinette's collection of domestic lacquer is split between the Louvre , the Guimet Museum , and the Palace of Versailles . The V&A Museum in London has a collection of mainly export lacquerware totalling around 2,500 pieces. Amongst those lacquer artists that have been named as Living National Treasures are Kazumi Murose (室瀬和美), Kōichi Nakano (中野孝一), Fumio Mae (前史雄), Masami Isoi (磯井正美), Hitoshi Ōta (太田儔), Yoshito Yamashita (山下義人), Isao Ōnishi (大西勲), Kunie Komori (小森邦衞), Kiichirō Masumura (増村紀一郎), and Shōsai Kitamura (北村昭斎). Past Living National Treasures were Shōzan Takano (高野松山), Gonroku Matsuda (松田権六), Naoji Terai (寺井直次), Yoshikuni Taguchi (田口善国), Shōgyo Ōba (大場松魚), Otomaru Kōdō (音丸耕堂), Taihō Mae (前大峰), Joshin Isoi (磯井如真), Yūsai Akaji (赤地友哉), Mashiki Masumura (増村益城), and Keishirō Shioda (塩多慶四郎). Okada Akito (岡田章人作, 1910–1968)

1104-449: The art export market, promoting Japan's lacquers and other decorative arts at a succession of world's fairs . Lacquer from Japanese workshops was recognised as technically superior to what could be produced anywhere else in the world. After the Meiji era, a new generation of artists further changed the decorative language, depicting plants in a stylised way without naturalistic settings. In recent decades, there has been effort made by

1152-510: The demand for gold- or silver-decorated lacquerwares. The Meiji era saw a renewed interest in lacquer as artists developed new designs and experimented with new textures and finishes. Foremost among these was Shibata Zeshin , who has been called "Japan's greatest lacquerer". The appeal of his highly original style was in the choice of motifs and subject matter rather than embedded gold and silver. He placed lacquer panels in frames, imitating Western oil paintings. Other notable lacquer artists of

1200-509: The focused cultivation of lacquer trees and the development of the techniques used. In the 18th century colored lacquers came into wider use. With the development of economy and culture, the artistic quality of lacquered furniture has improved. Hon'ami Kōetsu and Ogata Kōrin brought the designs of the Rinpa school of painting into lacquerware. From the middle of the Edo period, Inro became popular as men's accessories, and wealthy merchants of

1248-481: The head of the god of longevity, bolts of silk, head scarves, Ichi-no-Tani canyon, and axe heads, among many others. Some forms were realistically rendered, while others took on a very futuristic, modernist feel. [REDACTED] Media related to Kabuto at Wikimedia Commons Japanese lacquerware Lacquerware ( 漆器 , shikki ) is a Japanese craft with a wide range of fine and decorative arts, as lacquer has been used in urushi-e , prints , and on

1296-639: The helmet plates came together. Hari bachi kabuto is multiple-plate Japanese hachi with no ribs or ridges showing where the helmet plates come and the rivets are filed flush. The zunari kabuto is a simple, five-plate design. A great number of simpler, lightweight, folding, portable armours for lower-ranking samurai and foot soldiers ( ashigaru ) were also produced. These were called tatami armour, and some featured collapsible tatami kabuto (also called choshin-kabuto ), made from articulated lames. Tatami kabuto did not use rivets in their construction; instead, lacing or chain mail

1344-574: The kabuto") means "to surrender". [REDACTED] Media related to Kabuto (individual parts) at Wikimedia Commons The basic parts of the kabuto include: A typical kabuto features a central dome constructed of anywhere from three to over a hundred metal plates riveted together. These were usually arranged vertically, radiating from a small opening in the top. The rivets securing these metal plates to each other could be raised (a form known as hoshi-bachi ) or hammered flat (a form known as suji-bachi ); another form, called hari bachi , had

1392-452: The method of drawing designs with a brush by dissolving gold powder in lacquer is a common technique in other countries, the method of drawing designs with lacquer and then sprinkling gold, silver, or copper powder of various sizes and shapes on top to polish them was developed in Japan. This made it possible to make the gold and silver of lacquerware brighter than before. Togidashi maki-e ,

1440-482: The most literal sense, while nurimono (塗物) means "coated things", and urushi-nuri (漆塗) means "lacquer coating." The terms related to lacquer or lacquerware such as " Japanning ", " Urushiol " and " maque " which means lacquer in Mexican Spanish, are derived from Japanese lacquerware. It has been confirmed that the lacquer tree existed in Japan from 12,600 years ago in the incipient Jōmon period . This

1488-665: The name of his hometown on moving to Edo, and whose family produced and exhibited lacquerware in the new style. This style became popular in the Meiji period because it could be produced more quickly and cheaply than traditional lacquers. Somada ware, invented in the 1670s during the Edo period, is characterized by a regular pattern of finely cut shellfish, gold leaf and silver leaf, and became popular during this period. Richly-decorated lacquerwares in original designs were popular domestically, and even more so with Western buyers during this period of European and American fascination with Japanese art . The government took an active interest in

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1536-443: The ornamental features of earlier helmets. To offset the plain, utilitarian form of the new helmet, and to provide visibility and presence on the battlefield, armorers began to build fantastic shapes on top of the simple helmets in harikake (papier-mâché mixed with lacquer over a wooden armature), though some were constructed entirely of iron. These shapes mimicked forms from Japanese culture and mythology, including fish, cow horns,

1584-561: The owner of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and Osaka Exchange buildings, has kicked off a Kabutochō Revitalization project. In 2020 Time Out named Kabutochō as the coolest neighborhood in Tokyo. Public elementary and junior high schools are operated by Chuo City Board of Education. Kabutocho is zoned to Sakamoto Elementary School ( 中央区立阪本小学校 ) and Nihonbashi Junior High School ( 日本橋中学校 ). 35°40′53″N 139°46′40″E  /  35.68139°N 139.77778°E  / 35.68139; 139.77778 Kabuto Kabuto (兜, 冑)

1632-548: The paintings employ the technique known as mitsuda-e , an early type of oil painting , using perilla ( shiso ) oil with litharge as a desiccant . Many traditional crafts and industrial arts produced throughout Japanese history were initially influenced by China, and afterward experienced various native stylistic influences and innovations over the centuries. In the Heian period (794–1185), various maki-e techniques characteristic of Japanese lacquerware were developed. While

1680-461: The rivets filed flush. Some of the finer hachi were signed by their makers, usually from one of several known families, such as the Myochin, Saotome, Haruta, Unkai, or Nagasone families. A small opening in the top of the kabuto , called the tehen or hachimanza (seat of the war god, Hachiman ), was thought to be for passing the warrior's top knot through. Although this practice

1728-493: The shape of a hoe, the sun, the moon, or their flag on their kabuto to show their courage or to distinguish friend from foe. In the Sengoku period in the 16th century, when the scale of war increased and the guns called tanegashima became popular, the armor styles called ō-yoroi and dō-maru became outdated. As a response to the popularity of tanegashima , the armor style of tosei-gusoku ( 当世具足 )

1776-474: The top. Kabuto incorporated a suspended neck guard called a shikoro , usually composed of three to seven semicircular, lacquered metal or oxhide lames , attached and articulated by silk or leather lacing, although some shikoro were composed of 100 or more small metal scales in a row. This lamellar armour style, along with kusari (mail armour), was the standard technology of Japanese body armour, and some shikoro were made of mail sewn to

1824-415: The tradition of Tango no Sekku . In feudal times, real samurai armor, kabuto , and tachi were displayed. Japanese helmets dating from the fifth century have been found in excavated tombs. Called mabizashi-tsuke kabuto (attached-visor helmet), the style of these kabuto came from China and Korea. They had a pronounced central ridge. Kabuto , now known as samurai helmets, first appeared in

1872-564: The world's wealthy. In 2024, the first edition of an initiative called the Craft x Tech Tohoku Project was launched in Tokyo. The project is "aimed at revitalizing Japanese crafts" by pairing "designers, technologists and artisans to create collectible design objects that elevate Japanese craft in the eyes of international audiences." It includes contemporary designs made by lacquerware artisans such as Kawatsura-Shikki (from Akita prefecture) and Tsugaru-Nuri (from Aomori prefecture). The work

1920-488: Was abundantly exported to neighboring East Asia , Southeast Asia and even India . Lacquer (particularly Japanese) was known at Indian courts and featured among the gifts offered by Europeans to local rulers. Japanese lacquer was well known to Sir Thomas Roe , for example, as a suitable type of gift to the emperor Jahangir , and he notes in 1616 that rarities from China and Japan were highly desirable in India. In China,

1968-525: Was an important part of the equipment of the samurai, and played a symbolic role as well, which may explain the Japanese expressions, sayings, and codes related to them. For instance, Katte kabuto no o wo shimeyo translates literally to "Tighten the string of the kabuto after winning the war". This refers to not reducing one's efforts after success; an equivalent saying in English would be "Don't rest on your laurels". Kabuto wo nugu (lit. "to take off

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2016-579: Was confirmed by radioactive carbon dating of the lacquer tree found at the Torihama shell mound , and is the oldest lacquer tree in the world found as of 2011. Lacquer was used in Japan as early as 7000 BCE, during the Jōmon period. Evidence for the earliest lacquerware was discovered at the Kakinoshima "B" Excavation Site in Hokkaido . The ornaments woven with lacquered red thread were discovered in

2064-475: Was created. Tosei-gusoku kabuto were made by combining three to four pieces of iron plates. These were more bulletproof than the conventional style and could be mass produced. The tatemono became more eccentric and huge. Some were made of iron, but for safety reasons on the battlefield, they were often made with molded, lacquer-coated paper. In the Azuchi–Momoyama period , tosei-gusoku kabuto had

2112-500: Was developed independently in Japan rather than being introduced from China as once believed". One of the masterpieces of ancient Japanese lacquer objects is the Tamamushi Shrine from middle of the seventh century AD. The shrine is made of lacquered hinoki or Japanese cypress and camphor wood, both native species. While commonly referred to as urushi , since the Meiji period some scholars have argued instead that

2160-444: Was largely abandoned after the Muromachi period , this opening may have been retained for purposes of ventilation or simply as an artifact of how the plates were riveted together. The tehen was usually decorated with tehen kanamono , which were rings of intricately worked, soft metal bands often resembling a chrysanthemum. Zunari kabuto and momonari kabuto were two helmet forms that did not usually have an opening at

2208-462: Was later exhibited at Art Basel/Design Miami, and subsequently in the Victoria and Albert Museum museum during the 2024 London Design Festival . As in other countries where lacquerware has traditionally been produced, the process is fundamentally quite basic. An object is formed from wood, sometimes leather, paper, or basketry. Lacquer is applied to seal and protect the object, and then decoration

2256-495: Was used both on pottery, and on different types of wooden items. In some cases, burial clothes for the dead were also lacquered. Many lacquered objects have turned up during the Early Jōmon period; this indicates that this was an established part of Jōmon culture. Experts are divided on whether Jōmon lacquer was derived from Chinese techniques, or invented independently. For example, Mark Hudson believes that "Jomon lacquer technology

2304-455: Was used to connect the pieces to each other. Kaji kabuto were a type of helmet worn by samurai firemen. Jingasa were war hats made in a variety of shapes, worn by ashigaru (foot soldiers) and samurai, which could be made from leather or metal. During the Momoyama period of intense civil warfare, kabuto were made to a simpler design of three or four plates, lacking many of

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