Understanding the raw material’s properties in order to express its beauty maximally

In the early Meiji period the company’s founder Shirokichi ran a store for Buddhist religious products, and he had his son Harutaru study under Hakuyasu Heian, where he learned gold leafing techniques. The traditional craft consists of using a liquid called urushi to apply gold leaf to surfaces. Called kinpaku oshi in Kyoto, Gomei Kinpaku Kogei has continued to pass down the craft since its second generation. Currently, third generation and fourth generation company staff Itsuaki and Hisa have received the title of Kyoto Buddhist traditional craftsman. The company has been entrusted with leaf work dealing with Buddhist religious items such as altars and pedestals, receiving orders from Tiffany’s, Osaka Castle, Kyoto City Hall, Kyoto Okazaki Miyako Messe, and more.

Since around 2003, the company has produced, merchandised, and sold products using traditional crafts, providing decorations, powdering, platinum and gold leaf onto materials, and producing pieces that fully utilize the company’s experience in traditional gold leaf techniques. The Serving Dishes and Small Plates shown here were completed with two layers of lacquer and pure cold leaf, resulting in a raised grainy texture. “When applying the kinpaku oshi gold leaf, there is a method in how to go about creating the expression. I want to show make sure the beauty of the material is not lost,” says Hisa. Kinpaku oshi gold leafing is performed on wood tableware on the base lacquer, so the piece can be said to be a combination of gold leaf craftsmanship, wood craftsmanship, lacquering, and and other traditional crafts. Realizing the actual luster and shine of the gold requires the base lacquer to be perfect. Gold leaf is entirely dependent on this. Selecting the lacquer and blend requires consideration of the balance between the base lacquer and applied lacquer, the temperature on that particular day, the degree of dryness of the piece, how the piece will be wiped down and left to sit. This result is a masterpiece created through well-maintained traditional skills, and refined technical knowledge of the materials.