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Harakoushu’s Specialty (Helmet and Armor) |
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We handle various kacchu
(helmet and armor), centering on the Edo Kacchu (helmet
and armor) that is made by using particularly advanced
skills. |
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The types of kacchu (helmet and armor) |
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| Kyoto
Kacchu |
The
Kyoto Kacchu is the gorgeous helmets and armors
hat were born and developed in the aristocratic
society in Kyoto. They feature showy exteriors
that are made by combining metallic decoration
fittings, using a lot of gold foils, and arranging
a crest of dragon design. |
| Edo
Kacchu |
The
Edo Kacchu is the helmets and armors that are
made in the same production technique as that
of the helmets and armors used in actual combats
in samurai (warrior) society. They have no showy
decorations, and the sedate stateliness that
only a genuine product possesses is its feature. |
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The feature of Edo Kacchu |
The Edo Kacchu is
the helmets and armors that are the exact copies of genuine
helmets, made by using traditional production technique,
referring to the masterpieces of old armors that have been
designated as the national treasures, the important cultural
properties, etc.
Among old armors, many of them were made by using techniques
that were highly-advanced ones from the viewpoint of artistic
handicraft. It seems that generals in the old days used such
helmets and armors feeling “Monono Aware”(the beauties
of nature) and earnestly seeking for beauty, not only to threaten
their enemies.
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Especially, the helmets that are made
with lacquered Washi-Kozane (combined Japanese paper strips
used to make helmets) are brilliant works. Furthermore,
they are produced by making full use of a number of traditional
techniques such as the metal fittings, lacquer works, braids,
dyeing, and tanning works. Thus the Edo Kacchu is of high
value as artistic handicraft products.
Therefore, the Edo Kacchu makes you feel real deep pleasure, exceeding the limit
of a mere decoration. |
The feature of Edo Kacchu |
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| 1. Kozane pasting |
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First,
make small strips of paper called kozane,
by thickly piling up Japanese papers. Then,
make a narrow tablet of kozanes by carefully
pasting the small strips of paper together. |
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| 2. Hole opening |
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Drill
holes to pass odoshiito (braids to piece
the tablets of kozanes) on each tablet of
kozanes, which is pasted together. |
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| 3. Lacquer painting of the
tablets of kozanes |
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Drill
holes and lacquer the tablet of kozanes,
of which shape is fixed. |
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| 4. Odoshi (piecing the tablets
of kozanes) |
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Give
form to Shikoro (Havelock of a helmet)
by patching the tablets of kozanes, which
is applied with lacquer coating. |
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Making a hachi, a crown of a helmet |
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| 1. Sheet
metal processing |
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Complete
a hachi, a crown of a helmet by the technique
of “Hagi Awase” (patch jointing). “Hagi
Awase” (patch jointing) is the technique
for finishing-up by jointing the narrow
paper tablets together, and fastening them
with rivets. |
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coating of the hachi |
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Lacquer
the completed hachi. |
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| 3. Attaching
the metal fittings |
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Finish
the work by fastening the metal fittings
to the lacquered hachi with rivets. |
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Making a kuwagata, a hoe-shaped helmet crest |
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| Cutout
of the kuwagata |
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Finish
the kuwagatas by carefully cutting out
the brass, one sheet at a time, manually.
The cutout kuwagatas are finished by plating
pure gold. |
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