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Description
A set of Kyoto Karakami stamps that you can enjoy with your children and receive with your signature (name)!
We have prepared patterns based on the themes of the four seasons (cherry blossoms, waves, maple leaves, snowflakes A, and seals (name stamps)).
Why not use it as a personal mark on your letters?
Of course, it is also a chic gift, and children are sure to be delighted!
Please allow 3 weeks for the creation of the signature after purchase.
Information
| Manufacturer | Maruni |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Kyoto, Japan |
| Technique | Kyo Karakami |
| Material | Magnolia Wood |
| Size | 1.81" * 8.66" * 1.57" (4.6*22*4cm) |
| Weight | 0.3 lbs(135g) |
| Capacity | 0 oz(0ml) |
| Electronic Equipment | When using a stamp, moisten the surface first. Use water-based ink. Please use water-based ink and rinse immediately after use. When cleaning, use a soft sponge or your hands. |
| Note | |
| Delivery Time | 4 weeks (if out of stock + 2-3 weeks) |
Brand
Traditional crafts made with the history of Kyoto
Maruni
- 1902
- Kyo Karakami (Decorative Papers)
- Kazuki Nishimura
History
Karakami came to China over 1000 years ago
We were founded in Kyoto in 1902 as Nishimura Korokudo (Hyogushi). In 1946, we opened Marunishouten and have been producing, selling, and constructing Karakami.
Karakami originally means "paper from China," and was introduced to Japan by Kentoushi in the Heian period (794-1185), when Japanese paper was not yet in use.
In the past, only a few aristocrats and the upper class could decorate their houses with gorgeous fusuma paintings.
For the houses of the common people, silk cloth, linen, or Karakami were used to decorate the screens and fusuma (sliding doors).
Karakami has been handed down to the present day as a traditional craft for interior decoration such as sliding doors and wallpaper.
We are expressing tradition in modern spaces by taking advantage of our strengths as a wholesaler of materials for fusuma (sliding doors) and tableware, as well as our ability to create products using historic Karakami and woodblock prints.
Characteristic
Projecting the pattern by hand, one by one
We have more than 300 woodblocks that have been handed down from about 180 years ago, and we use traditional paints mixed with kira, funori, and pigment to print traditional patterns on paper, one by one, by hand.
Traditional patterns that were popular before the Edo period are also carved on the woodblocks, and their design is astonishing.
This is a characteristic of hand-printing, which differs from machine printing in that it produces a fluffy, uneven application of paint.
The subdued glow of the paint when it hits the light creates an elegant atmosphere.
This unique texture created by human hands and woodblock printing is the characteristic of our Kyoto Karakami.
Today, it is used not only in traditional architecture, but also as sliding doors and wallpaper in modern architecture, stores, hotels, etc.
Recently, we are also trying to develop gift products based on the concept of the taste of the woodblock, the design, and the meaning of the patterns.
For Customers
Preserving Tradition, Changing Form, and Bringing it to the Modern Age
Kyo Karakami, which was originally used for sliding door paintings, has been seen less and less as the number of Japanese-style rooms has decreased.
But we want to pass on Kyo Karakami, a traditional craft of Kyoto, to the future, so we have opened a workshop not only for production but also for hands-on experience, which many customers enjoy.
In order for as many people as possible to see "Kyo Karakami," which is a perfect match of old-fashioned tools, craftsmanship, and modern sensibilities, we have created experience kits, fans, and art panels.
Why don't you turn your time at home into an enriching experience with the traditional Kyo Karakami?
Award
1979 Masao Nishimura was awarded Zuihousho
How Japanese Products Can Be Such High Quality
The Reason Japan Can Produce So Many High-Quality Products
To put it simply, it’s because they found a way to produce exceptional products with high efficiency, resulting in surprisingly low prices.
The Japanese Drive for Perfection
The Japanese always seek perfection in both the production process and the products themselves.
As such, the Japanese production process aims to eliminate waste and inefficiencies while guaranteeing quality by having craftspeople inspect their own products and constantly strive to make improvements.
Ingenuity Stemming from the Spirit of “Omotenashi” and “Kikubari”
The Japanese excel at creating and improving things because of their devotion to the ideas of hospitality and attentiveness, known as “omotenashi” and “kikubari” respectively. These ideas push them to uncover, predict, and fulfill their customers’ every need.
This earnestness, as well as how they spare no effort when it comes to offering their customers the very best, is reflected in the products Japan produces.
Trustworthy Suppliers That Deliver On All Fronts
One product is often the result of various organizations joining forces and combining their skills and capabilities.
Japanese suppliers are known for their dedication to delivering high-quality materials, parts, and products on schedule, and it’s thanks to their efforts that Japan can produce such high-quality goods.
The Japanese Are the World’s Most Discerning and Demanding Customers
Many Japanese people have traveled and experienced shopping around the world. This has given them a much more discerning eye for judging the quality of products.
The standards of Japanese people are very high. They are finely tuned not just to the quality, safety, design, and novelty of products, but also to their visual appearance such as their packaging and wrapping.
Made-in-Japan products keep improving in quality in order to meet the rigorous standards of their domestic clientele.
Japan Is Home to Many Long-Established Companies
According to an international survey, Japan has the highest number of companies that have been established over a century ago. In fact, the grand total of 33,076 of such Japanese companies accounts for 41.3% of the total worldwide number of 80,066. The US takes second place with 19,497 companies (24.4%) and Sweden comes in third with 13,997 (17.5%).
Japan also has the highest number of companies that are more than two centuries old, being home to 1,340 such companies, which account for 65.0% of the global total of 2,051. The US takes second place with 239 companies (11.6%), Germany comes in third with 201 (9.8%), and the UK places fourth with 83 (4.0%).
So, Japan is able to produce so many high-quality goods because it’s home to the highest number of long-established companies that have been passing down their knowledge and technical prowess through the generations.
*Source: Based on data from Teikoku Databank and Bureau Van Dijk’s orbis (as of October 2019).
What Makes Traditional Japanese Crafts High Quality
Traditional crafts are the amalgamation of Japanese culture.
“Traditional crafts” is the general term used for crafts that are produced using processes and techniques that have been passed down through generations. In Japan, this includes textiles, dyed goods, ceramics, lacquerware, woodwork, washi Japanese paper, dolls, items for Buddhist rituals, and other goods that enrich our everyday lives.
Traditional crafts are associated with the concept of “the beauty of use”, which refers to products and skills that become easier to use and approach perfection the longer they come into contact with people.
Currently, it is believed that there are approximately 1,300 different types of traditional crafts in Japan.
Among these, 236 crafts have been officially designated as “traditional Japanese crafts” by the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (as of January 2021).
The main criteria for being recognized as a traditional Japanese craft:
Key Parts of the Production Process Must Be Done by Hand
Traditional Japanese crafts do not have to be entirely handmade, but the underlying process that brings out the product’s unique and distinctive characteristics, such as their quality, form, and design, must be handcrafted.
This guarantees that every traditional Japanese craft is, at its core, a product of human hands, meaning that its size and shape have been designed with human comfort in mind. It also makes the crafts much safer.
The Skills and Techniques Used to Make It Must Be Passed Down for Over 100 Years
The Japanese believe that a technique or a skill can only be considered reliable and complete after it’s been refined through trial and error and constant improvements by numerous craftspeople over a period of at least 100 years.
Skills are closely related to the capability of each craftsperson and precision, and they are something that an individual can refine. Techniques, on the other hand, are associated with the historical accumulation of knowledge, including everything from the selection of raw materials to the production process.
All this said, modern craftspeople don’t just mimic the techniques of the past. Rather, they’re continuously coming up with improvements and developing new ways of doing things without fundamentally changing what makes traditional Japanese crafts unique.
The Skills and Techniques Used to Make It Must Be Passed Down for Over 100 Years
As we can see, the secret to the high quality of made-in-Japan products is the drive of Japanese people for perfection, the adherence to their unique philosophy of hospitality, and their discerning eye that can’t be matched.
Traditional Japanese crafts are one level above normal made-in-Japan products, as they must also meet rigorous criteria such as being handcrafted or made using skills and techniques that have been passed down for at least a century.
Thanks to all of the above, Japanese products have become famous for their high quality all over the world.