Nihonbashi (bridge)brushpaint brush
Brushes and brushes are the behind-the-scenes helpers that support our daily lives in a variety of applications, from household goods and lacquerware to cleaning and cosmetics. Edoya, founded in 1718, has been making such brushes for many years. We interview Yasuo Hamada, the 13th generation head of the company, about his passion and craftsmanship for brushes and paintbrushes.
Rihei I was a brushmaker in the service of the Tokugawa Shogun.
Forest:Today we are pleased to welcome Yasuo Hamada, the 13th generation owner of Edoya.
Hamada:My name is Yasuo Hamada, the 13th generation of Edoya, a brush and brush merchant. I am Yasuo Hamada, the 13th generation of Edoya, a brush and brush merchant.
Could you quickly introduce the restaurant?
Rihee, the founder of the company, was appointed as a brushmaker to the Tokugawa shogun and delivered brushes for making fusuma (sliding doors) and tablecloths to Edo Castle. In 1718, he was given the store name “Edoya” by the shogun and founded the company.
You have continued the current business model unchanged since the establishment of the company. Moreover, I didn’t realize that you were receiving orders from the Shogun. From here, I would like you to introduce some of Edoya’s products.
First of all, the flat part here is the “glue brush” used to apply glue when making shoji screens and fusuma (sliding door frames).
Can you also tell us about the features?
The use of resilient horsehair allows the glue to be absorbed well, and it also has the advantage of being easy to peel off to apply a certain amount of glue evenly.
It’s wonderful.
Hamada: The next item is a white powder brush, which was used by women in the inner palace to apply white makeup.
It is thick and resembles the brush that men use to apply shaving cream when they get a shave done at a barbershop.
These plump, thick brushes were used to apply white powder to the arms and shoulders as well.
What are some of the uses for it today?
Kabuki actors, for example, still use it.
By the way, what is the raw material of the hair?
Goat hair. Since it is used on the face and other parts of the body, we use a very soft material. The “Round Brush,” which also has goat hair spread out in a circular shape, is used to wipe off moisture from the skin with a tap-tap-tap.
The texture of the two products seems to be different even with the same goat hair.
Right. Round brushes have softer bristles because they are often used on the face.
Fine bundles of hair are handled one by one by craftsmen.
Do you know what this brush with black bristles is?
It’s like, “I’ve seen this somewhere before.
This is a brush used to apply lacquer to lacquerware and other objects.
This brush looks very distinctive.
The material for this brush is human hair. It is said that straight hair that has been well laid down and has lost its oil is the best.
I have silver hair. …… (laughs).
Hair that has been permed or dyed will still be unusable (laughs).
Lacquer is also a paint, so it is difficult to find the right balance, for example, it must not harden.
We are looking for a balance that does not allow even a single streak of uneven brush strokes and that is not too hard.
So great care is taken in manufacturing.
There are now only a few craftsmen who can work on this product.
I really feel that there is a sense of inter-industry collaboration.
As you can see, the inside of this lacquer brush is packed with bristles all the way to the top.
Why is that?
When a craftsman uses a brush, it gradually wears out over the years. Therefore, we have devised a way to cut them out with a blade so that they can be used for a long time. Even when used by craftsmen, they can easily be used for about 10 years.
Keiban, clothes brushes…… also put a lot of thought into the handles.
Hamada: Next, I would like to introduce brushes, which were influenced by the West and began to be produced in the Meiji era (1868-1912).
Looking at the hair ends from the front, it looks as if there is some writing on them. It is the character for “合”, meaning “passing”.
This is a “fur seal,” a stamp made of hair that is rarely used anymore. Since there was no such thing as cardboard in the Edo period, straw mats were used for packing, and the surface of the mats was bumpy. This product was used to stamp “合” or “合〇”, the name of a company, on the straw mat.
Can this still be made if I ask for it?
We don’t have any requests, but if we work hard, we can make it (laughs).
Hayashi: As expected.
Next is a brush for modern clothes. It is a versatile brush that can be used on suits, cashmere coats, and kimonos.
What kind of hair is this one made of?
We use precious, long-footed pig hair. The tips of pig hair are thin and flexible, and the roots are hard and crispy. Therefore, the root side of the hair does not come out on the top, but only the tip side comes out on the surface. This is called “two-tiered hair planting,” and our craftsmen hand-plant each bundle of hairs.
That sounds like a lot of work.
We cannot mass-produce many brushes per day, but the result is a brush that can be used for a wide range of fabrics, from firm to delicate.
Is there something special about the wooden handles?
If you look at it from the back, you will see that nails have been driven into the wood, and if you look at it from the side, you will see that there are marks where the wood was sliced in the center. So these are the marks where hairs were planted one by one by hand from the back of the tree once sliced and then reconnected with nails again. This is not easy to achieve and is a part of the craftsman’s skill.
So much time and effort has really been put into this.
The hair is used for different purposes and for different uses, and is finished with craftsmanship. The brand Edoya is proud of is supported by such undiscovered efforts. Perhaps that is why it is loved by so many people as one of Japan’s leading long-established brush and brush manufacturers.
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