>[!NOTE]+ Meta Author:: [[Sachiko Tamashige]] Reference:: Date:: 2021-09-27 Tags:: #warp/talk #Japan WeftLinks:: [[Reinventing the Wheel]] ### Summary This talk harkens back to the very first issue of Garland from South Korea, which featured Doreul-dakda, "to polish a stone", a project by Yujin Moon and Written Hands that offers users the pleasure of completing the work themselves. This offered a value in repetitive labour that helps with mindfulness. Such perspectives complement the goal of the Knowledge House to open up our understanding of craft. The Western model has focused on the artefact to be catalogued. But there is another realm in its **use**, particularly as it affects our senses such as smell, when previously Sachiko introduced us to koho, the Japanese way of incence, and now the process of polishing. In the case of Sachiko, I feel that polishing is taken to another level. Sachiko Tamashige studied journalism at Wadeda University, art history at Sotherbys and film anthropology at Goldsmith College in London, where she worked for BBC and Channel 4. She writes for many outlets, including Japan Times and of course Garland magazine, with a reflection on the enduring love of swords in Japan. Her talk featured two families of metalsmiths. The Myochin family were able to re-design metal chopsticks as chimes that made ethereal tones. They specialised in Tamahagane forging. The Yamamoto family made mirrors, which have a sacred function in Shinto religion, where they are polished to reflect the design moulded on their back. As part of a project with a Gifu observatory, Sachiko commissioned a mirror that had a spiral image of the galaxy on its reverse. This talk drew a connection between the technical nature of modern science and the mystical rituals that connect us to the universe. This connection was forged by hand. The discussion that follows identified similar connections in India and possibly other cultures. ### Transcript ** The Text of Talk for Garland (23rd Sep.’21) “Alchemy in Japanese traditional craft: The transformation of light in Tamahagane forging and polishing” ●I chose two families of Japanese handicraftsman, The Myochin family as blacksmith (forging & polishing), The Yamamoto family as Mirror maker(casting & polishing ) to introduce the power of handicraft with spirit of craftsmanship which can transform the physical material into something beyond, with special spiritual power. Those things  can be used as regalia, or talisman. Japanese Imperial regalias essential to ascend to the throne of emperor, three items; “mirror”, “sword” and “comma-shaped bead (jewel of jade”). I chose two of them, “mirror” and “sword” to argue the power of things  which are made by accomplished craftsmen. This might be the area which human-being can keep as raison-detre, to survive the coming era of the domination of Robots and Artificial Intelligence. It is time that we can look at the traditional craft to enhance the ability of human-being, making things by hand and to find the way to co-exist with those highly intelligent robots or machines. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TU6WD0ABJw4" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> - The Installation of The Myochin Family “Hasei”(Origin) from the exhibition “Japanese Mindscapes: Swords, Resonances and Seascapes” July 3 (Sat) – September 5 (Sun), 2021 ＠Himeji City Art Museum How did you like it ?  (ask the impression of audience) Intriguing sound isn’t it ?  Glittering or twinkling stars in the night sky. profound. Whispering near by you, at the same time, subtle crystal sound in distance. This installation shows the essence of the evolution of the technique of the Myochin family. Elements of the installation. The iron sand, as row material of Tamahagane, The long sword by Myochin Munehiro,(the second son ) The Tamahagane  Myochin  Hibashi  Furin, fire chopsticks wind chime by  Myochin  Munetaka.(the third son). Tamahagane is a special form of purified steel in traditional method by using bellows, limited to be used by swordsmiths. Myochin Fire Chopstick Wind Chimes. The clear sound that resonates when the fire chopsticks touch. It is said this enigmatic trailing sound is emitted only from  forged iron. The skills of heating and forging this iron are skills kept secret and passed down through the generations of this one family. Note:  Himeji’s famed Myochin Hibashi (a Designated Traditional Craft of Hyogo Prefecture) <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j55SjK1lFrc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> - Myochin Family: a lineage of armor makers  of 53 generations over 850 years  evolving with the times The present Myochin family is based in Himeji of Hyogo prefecture, are Munemichi (79 years old)( father), The 3rd son Munetaka(45 years old). 53nd family head of the Myochin as blacksmith, and the 2nd son Munehiro (47years old) as swordsmith( the first generation of Myochin as swordsmith). - History of Myochin Family The Myochin are an old well-known family of craftsmen with a unique forging technique, that has been passed on since the Heian Period (794-1185). The family dates back to 12th century and their business originated from armorer, which has been used by aristocrats like the emperors as well as the major clans of Samurai warriors. It is said that the emperor Konoe (1142-1155) commissioned the family to make a suit of armor and bit. The emperor was pleased by their work and praised their armor for its excellency, particularly mentioning that it is such a rare armor which makes a sonorous, bright and clear sounds and gave them the brand name “Myochin”. (“bright” and “rare”) (I think that it means rare brilliance). The brand name “Myochin” has been spread across the country with the reputation of brilliant forging skill. Many Daimyo, feudal lords used their armors. During Edo period, the Myochin was employed by the Sakai family, the lord of Himeji, so that they came to Himeji with the Sakai family from Gunma prefecture. It was written in old manuscript in Himeji that armors by Myochin was so strong that they had never been cut or penetrated by swords or guns. After the end of Edo period, the era of Samurai was over and then when Meiji era started, armorers lost jobs as well as swordsmiths. Muneyuki,the 48st head of the Myochin family, started making Hibashi, metal fire chopsticks, which was normally used for handling charcoals at a brazier and The Myochin Hibashi became popular particularly among people of tea ceremony.  The Myochin family shifted their business successfully from the armorer to the blacksmith by making Hibashi and Jizaiokimono (metalwork) etc. But then they have to confront to a few more crises, during World War II, the materials of their products such as steel and iron had to be delivered to the army and on the top of it, after the war , their private property of the family, all armors and swords which had been passed on from their ancestors were confiscated according to the GHQ’s order. They manage to survive by selling their house and land so that they can manage to keep making Myochin Hibashi as blacksmith. But the lifestyle of Japanese people after the World War II. had been modernized rapidly and as for the heating system, the charcoal brazier or the fire place had been replaced with oil, gas-stove or electric-heater. The demand of Hibachi was shrinking. Munemichi Myochin 52nd family head (father), had to go through hard time and thought of making wind chime by using the skill of Hibashi (metal fire chopsticks). By trial and error, he succeeded in completing Hibashi Furin, a wind chime in Hibashi shape, which sounds incredibly beautiful that they became well known souvenir and specialty in Himeji. In fact, the quality of sound has been highly appreciated by prestigious musicians, sound experts such as Isao Tomita, one of the most important composers who pioneered electric music using synthesizer,used it in his tune, which was used for the opening ceremony of The Olympic Game . Tomita entertained his friends from overseas such as Stevy Wonder and Michel Jackson with the sound of Myochin Hibashi and Japanese sake. Stevy Wonder praised  its sound  by saying “the Enigma of the East”. Since 1964,the timbre of Myochin Fire Chopsticks has been used to test the sound quality of SONY microphones. The Myochin also collaborated with the watch & clock manufacturer SEIKO to make a special sound for their products. Munemichi is nearly 80 years old, the head of the family, decided to let his son Munetaka, to succeed to Myochin’s  name as the head of the family 53rd generation, in May 2021. Although Munehiro is the second son, he had decided to start new school of swordsmith instead of succeeding to the Myochin’s as blacksmith a long time ago. Although Munehiro set up his own studio of sword making, he sometimes collaborates with his brother by forging Tamahagane steel which is a special form of purified steel and is allowed to use for sword making. ●Alchemy of Myochin family: the sound which was made possible with Tamahagane forged by Munehiro and Munetaka. Munehiro makes stratified Tamahagane steel with more than 30,000 layers by forging for his sword. He put a lump of steel (in square ) into fire and folding and hammering countless times. This process made Tamahagane as very special substance.  Then  Munetaka, younger brother take it over to shape Tamahagane into fire chopsticks wind chime. When I visited the studio of Munetaka, he demonstrated how to make Myochin Hibashi of iron (instead of Tamahagane) by forging. I was amazed by the speed and the degree of concentration of Munetaka, shaping the cylinder shaped iron sticks into chopsticks. He said he could make shape of Hibashi easily but it is so difficult to make it sound properly. You need a kin of leap to transform metal chopsticks into metal chopsticks wind chime with formless value as superb sound. ●The power of the sound of Myochin products When a pair of chopsticks touch each other, it creates amazing heavenly sound as if it transported one’s mind to the space or another dimension. One blacksmith Mitsuo Amitori who makes Nambu Tetsubin of iron in Iwate showed me a pair of iron chopsticks touching each other and demonstrated how it sounded. It only made a dull sound, although their iron chopsticks themselves are excellent as fire chopstics. Mr.Amitori said “Myochin Hibashi is just superbly special although I am proud of my own product.” Yoshihiro Kanno, an eminent composer who has been using the Myochin  Hibashi Furin, the wind chime, for his tune and his inspiring art installation work, said “The secret of the special sound and its resonance of Myochin Hibashi is not explained, yet.” He found the 70 KHz from Myochin Hibashi Furin, although the limit of the metal instruments or Orin, a Buddhist bell is 40 KHz .  Considering the limit of an audible sound is between 2KHz and 20KHz, the sound of Myochin Hibashi might touch upon something beyond more than auditory sense. - MIT in US invited Munetaka to give a lecture and workshop Another remarkable topic of Myochin family is that Keizo , 53rd generation of the Myochin family gave a special lecture and hold a forging workshop for the Metallurgy education, at MIT, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology to introduce the history of the Myochin family and their distinctive manufacturing method. More than 100 students and researchers at MIT participated. Many students felt that the craftsmanship with hand made can be still very important in the age of automation with AI and 3d-printer. ●The work of sword by Munehiro Now let’s look at the sword of Munehiro. The three points to appreciate sword as art are to look at “Sugata”(shape), Jigane (the steel patterns) and “Hamon”, (the temper patterns )-the distinctive tempered patterning along the cutting edge of the sword’s blade,  central to the sword’s aesthetic beauty.  Hamon are “Suguha”, straight pattern, undulating wave-like “Notare”, clove shaped “Choji, etc. Hamon of a work of Munehiro reflects his sensibility and personality. He got his image of  Hamon inspired by the clouds of the sky in summer, which is a really the projection of his mindscape. Let me quote some sentences from my article in 2018. “Although swords are weapons originally, Japanese swords, with perfect clarity and beauty, became to be treated as talismans to ward off evil spirits. Japanese swords are a quintessential example to explain the national characteristics of Japan, including its aesthetics, mentality and skills and attitude that support the manufacturing of sophisticated fine arts and crafts. The deep shine of Japanese swords is achieved by skilful polishing. But this polishing is done by collective team Therefore, polishing techniques ‘ve been highlydeveloped together with the techniques in making swords. “ “When one encounters the breathtaking beauty and clarity of the gleaming surface of Japanese swords, one cannot help feeling clear, up-lifted and sublime.” ●The Conlcusion Ultimate light of sword and ultimate sound of Hibashi Furin I think that sword has magic light which can switch on our body to be pure, honest and brave so that our gods will guard and cherish us. Myochin Hibashi also has a magic power of sound which transcends one’s mind.  Now remember the origin of their name, Myochin given by the Emperor Konoe, who highly appreciated the sound from a suit of armor. The Myochin family have survived by reinventing themselves and adapting their business to the demand of the time. But the Myochins  has passed on their DNA of amazing quality of sound and light of metalsmith  over  8 centuries to present day. The skill to forge the armor that once protected the lives of samurai now resonate in a sound quality that enlivens and inspires the soul by connecting with the secret of the universe. ** **Yamamoto family (revised) The altar of the shrine of Nyakuichi Jinnjya in Kyoto, with  the mirror polished by Yamamoto Akihisa, a Japanese bronze mirror maker. A lady prays facing to the reflection of herself on the mirror, by checking whether her soul is honest, pure and clear enough to see kami, or god, believing that one soul is part of kami, the entire universe. Shintoism and Japanese bronze mirror Ancient Japanese people sensed gods and sprits in nature such as rocks, water falls and trees and they worshiped each of them. The sun is particularly important as it is the source of light which enables all creatures to live and grow. The archeological site in Okinoshima, the fragments of mirrors were discovered on the top of the rock. It shows that the ancient people created the altar by putting mirrors to bring down the light of the sun to the rock. This must have been the form of worshiping the sun before they invented the personalized gods like Amaterasu as the sun goddess ,the ancestor of the imperial family of Japan. Bronze mirrors became popular and were produced in large quantities during the Han Dynasty and use of bronze mirrors became widespread in China. So the ancient craft of mirror-making spread to neighboring Korea and Japan. Bronze mirrors came to Japan from the continent in the Yayoi period (date from 300BC to 300AD) and they had been developed in Japan’s own way .  In ancient Japan, bronze mirrors were especially revered as rare and amazing so that they overwhelmed people with its magical power. They were high-tech objects of the time, which radiated a beam of the sun light, therefore, the rulers of the time used them for their rituals to ensure their authority. Bronze mirrors became to have  close ties to religious ritual. They played a key role as host to the gods. Subsequently, mirror became sacred and the mirror “Yata-no-Kagami”became  one of Japan’s imperial regalia. It is believed that Amaterasu resides in the Yata-no-Kagami, housed in Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture. Yamamoto Akihisa (handcrafted bronze mirror maker) Profile :Born in 1975. Fifth generations of mirror maker of Yamamoto Metal Works, founded at the end of the EDO period. He joined his family company after graduating from Ryukoku University, at which he studied the Buddhism in literature dept. as part of Yamamoto Metal Works which deals with bronze mirrors and the ornaments for Buddhist altar.  Yamamoto Metal Works is now the only producer of handcrafted Japanese mirrors, sacred mirrors, and magic mirrors in Kyoto.  Akihisa is involved in the production of mirrors for Shinto shrines used as sacred hosts or offerings and the restoration of mirrors in the treasure house of shrines and museum collections. Mirror making A finished bronze mirror has a smooth and shining front surface and its back side is decorated with patterns. The design on the back of the mirror is first drawn on paper, and then applied to a mold of sand by pressing with carving tools. Over 200 different carving tools are used to form designs in the sand mold for the back of the mirror. The designs featuring sacred beasts or flowers or plants imprinted in the sand. A mold can take several months to create, according to the size of the mirror and complexity of the design. Then the cast is filled with molten metal. Once a bronze mirror is cast, it is ground and polished repeatedly. The tools to grind a mirror are metal files of differing roughness used and a steel tool called “sen” with handles on both sides.  Sen is particularly used for grinding to make the mirror’s surface smooth.  Polishing with whetstones and charcoal, the surface of the rough metal gradually turns into a shiny mirror surface.  A mirror maker does grinding with sitting cross-legged. Magic mirror(Makyo) Bronze mirrors known as magic mirrors, or makkyo . One side is brightly polished, while an embossed design decorates the reverse side. When light is directed onto the face of the mirror, and reflected its flat surface, an image one featured on its back magically appears . Yamamoto Shinji , or Oryu, the third generation, grand father of Akihisa found the method to create Christian magic mirrors in 1974. The term “magic mirror” refers to a mirror that projects the design applied to its back in its reflected light. In Japan, they began appearing in historical documents around the middle of the Edo period. In particular, the Christian magic mirrors were used by Christians who endured persecution for their forbidden faith under the regime of the Edo period. At first glance, they look normal mirrors but when it is exposed to a strong light, they project images such as Christ on cross or Virgin Mary in the reflection, so that they could be used for hidden worship. The principle of the phenomena of magic mirrors is the following process. When metal mirrors wear down from repeated grinding and polishing, they can sometimes project the embossed design on the back, as the uneven mirror surface is exposed to  the light and reflected by caching the patterns of the back side. The old, re-polished mirrors can sometimes display the magic mirror phenomenon, accidentally. The future of Mirror making We call traditional hand-craft bronze mirrors,” wakagami”, or Japanese mirrors. There used to be more than 100 wakagami makers in Kyoto but wakagami has been gradually replaced with mirrors using glass since Meiji era.  Today common Japanese do not use wakagami any longer and bronze mirrors are not necessary for everyday life. Although there had been enough commission works to sustain his family business, Akihisa has been thinking about the siginificance of continuing to make bronze mirrors with handcrafting as a craftsman in the modern age. He often was asked by people why he does not make the mirrors with machines. He answered by saying that’s because the techniques of handcrafting are still necessary. If he is only making new mirrors, he might be able to do that with machines, but restoration and refinishing is an unavoidable part of working with bronze mirrors in his business. “We can’t restore an old mirror without the skill to make a mirror from scratch by hand. We also have to make replicas of bronze mirrors from museum collections. Once handicraft skills are lost to mechanization, it is difficult to regain them.” said Akihisa. Succeeding to the next generations Unlike many traditional craftsmen, Akihisa grew up without any pressure to succeed to his family business.  It seems very natural and spontaneous that he got involved in it when he began helping with his father’s work to earn some pocket money and then it gradually led him to genuine enjoyment. He stared his work in the company ,with making cast metal implements used in Buddhist worship. He had to repeat the same motions over and over, but he felt it enjoyable. He spent five years in doing basic foundation work in the family business, his grandfather started letting Akihisa learn to make mirrors.  One can expect that the training to become a craftsman in traditional family is extremely strict. But it wasn’t in his case.  Whenever Akihisa asked a question, his grand father answered, and he never got angry with him. Akihisa had three wonderful mentors, his grandfather, great-uncle, and father who all made mirrors, so that it enabled Akihisa to observe, draw on skills and knowledge from each of them. Akihisa said that he got a very fortunate start as a craftsman. His great-uncle Hachiro gave a big influence on Akihisa by working closely with Akihisa while his grandfather Shinji provided instruction on the key points. Akihisa’s father, Fujio, taught him the management of the business by attracting his attention to expenses and deadlines. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gjklXiU0FCw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> Art project “the mirror of the universe –Sora” In 2014, I, Sachiko Tamashige, asked Akihisa to make a magic mirror with pattern of Galaxy instead of the religious motif for the exhibition at the museum of Kyoto University. It was the part of the major exhibition to introduce the history of the astronomy of Kyoto University and its observatory “Kwasan Observatory”. The head of the observatory asked me to promote the new telescope “SEIMEI” which they have been developing by using most advanced high technology method provided by the company in Gifu. Gifu is the region  which has a long tradition of sword making. This company had developed a special technique of grinding high tech mirror for the telescope. I wanted to bridge between the cosmology of astronomy and that of ancient Shintoism by juxtaposing the fragment mirror from the new telescope and the traditional magic bronze mirror with the pattern of Galaxy created by Akihisa. I believe that any kind of mirror always has been reflecting the truth of the universe. I initiated this plan so that a traditional craftsman with superb skill could get in touch with the scientists like astronomers to find the new horizon of “monozukuri”, or making things. I also wanted to pay homage to Nakamura Kaname, who is the legendary mirror polisher for telescope as well as an amateur astronomer  and  contributed to  make “Kwasan Observatory”to be a sacred place for amateur astronomers, in the world map.** <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ggn_K5Pf88" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>