Traditional Japanese KOGEI "WAZA" @Iwate【Article No.4】
匠の技術が生かされる製作工程
Production process that makes the most of craftsperson ship
There are four major processes in the production of Iwayado Tansu: wood cutting, assembling, lacquering, and manufacturing and attaching metal fittings.
1. Wood cutting
Mainly timber from Iwate Prefecture is purchased in logs, sawed, and naturally dried for two to three years before being made into parts that match the product. Parts are joined to one another with the wood grain facing up to help hide seams, which is the skill of a master craftsperson. Products are designed with an awareness of not wasting wood as much as possible.
In the past, easily available Japanese cedar was used, but current tansu are made mainly of paulownia, which has excellent moisture and insect resistance properties. The use of zelkova, which can bring out the beauty of the grain on the surface, has not changed since the past.
Cap.) A finished product with seamless grain pattern on the top and side panels Timber is sawed taking into consideration that the grain of the wood will look beautiful when it is made into a product.
2. Assembling
The finished parts are then put together in a way that does not go against the way the wood grew or the grain of the wood. The joints of the machine-cut parts are checked with the belly of a finger to see if there are any bumps and adjusted with a planer or chisel.
Craftsperson ship is also used to create a structure that circulates air so that moisture adhering to the wood can circulate and regulate humidity inside the tansu. This is why when you pull one of the many drawers and then push it back in, the others pop out owing to air pressure.
Cap.) Checking each part one by one to make sure it fits perfectly.
Cap.) Adjusting with a planer.
3. Lacquering
The products are coated with urushi lacquer, which has been used for centuries to strengthen the wood and prevent it from rotting. The technique called fuki-urushi, in which the process of applying lacquer to the wood and wiping it off with a cloth is repeated, has been used for Iwayado Tansu. This process enhances the beautiful grain of the wood.
Cap.) Repeat the process of wiping off the applied lacquer.
4. Manufacturing and attaching metal fittings
Decorative metal fittings used to be only hand-hammered metal fittings, but demand has expanded since 1982 when Iwayado Tansu was designated as a national traditional craft. In order to meet market demand, cast metal fittings have been developed with a workshop in Oshu City of Nanbu Tekki, also designated as a national traditional craft. These cast metal fittings are now the mainstay for the production of Iwayado Tansu. The metal fittings are cast in original molds made based on model metal fittings hand-hammered by skilled craftsperson. Since Iwayado Tansu were valued as marriage furniture, many designs of lucky charms such as peony, meaning wealth and happiness, and arabesque, meaning longevity and prosperity, are employed.
Cap.) Metal fittings made of peony pattern.
Cap.) The finished metal fittings are nailed in one by one.
岩谷堂箪笥の製作には「木取り」「組み立て」「漆塗り」「金具の製作・取り付け」と、大きく分けて4つの工程があります。
1. 木取り
岩手県産の木材をメインに、丸太で仕入れ、製材し、2〜3年自然乾燥したのちに商品に合わせたパーツを作ります。パーツとパーツを組み合わせた際にも木目がつながっているように見えるのが匠の技。できるだけ木材が無駄にならないことも意識し、商品を設計しています。
かつては入手しやすかった杉が使われていましたが、現在製作するのは防湿や防虫に優れた桐をメインにした桐箪笥。表面に木目の美しさを生かせる欅を使用するのは昔も今も変わりません。
2. 組み立て
できあがったパーツを、木の生え方や木目に逆らわないように組み合わせていきます。機械で切り分けたパーツの接合部分は指の腹で出っ張りがないかなどを確認し、カンナやノミを使って調整します。
また、木に付着する水分を循環させ箪笥内部が調湿できるよう、空気を循環させる構造を作るのも職人技。数あるうちのひとつの引き出しをしまうと、ほかの引き出しが風圧で飛び出すのはこのためです。
3.漆塗り
木を堅牢にし、防腐するために昔から使用されていた漆を施します。岩谷堂箪笥に伝わってきたのは、漆を木地に塗っては布で拭き取る作業を繰り返す「拭き漆」と呼ばれる技法。これにより美しい木目を一層引き立たせることができます。
4. 金具の製作・取り付け
装飾製のある金具は、かつては手打ち金具のみでしたが、1982年に岩谷堂箪笥が国の伝統的工芸品に指定されたことで需要が拡大。市場に合わせた生産数にするため、奥州市の、同じく国の伝統的工芸品に指定されている南部鉄器の工房と開発した鋳造金具が現在の主力になっています。手打ち金具の職人が作った種板をもとに作られたオリジナルの鋳型で鋳造され、岩谷堂箪笥が嫁入り道具として重宝されたことから、富貴や幸福の意味をもつ「牡丹」、長寿や繁栄の意味をもつ「唐草」など縁起物の絵柄が多く採用されています。