Tsugaru Nuri (Lacquerware)

Tsugaru Nuri (Tsugaru Lacquerware) is a traditional and honorable artifact of Aomori which began to be produced at the end of the 17^th century. Tsugaru Nuri is basically designed for daily use that almost every household in Tsugaru area has at least 1 piece of Tsugaru Nuri item.

Tsugaru Nuri uses cypress body with cloth winded, and it takes more than 40 hand-made processes to complete such as foundation making, whetting, lacquering and polishing. One proper item takes about 60 days to be completed.

The following photo shows some typical process of chopstick making.



Kara Nuri

Whetting layered lacquer with whetstone, sandpaper or

charcoal,and polishing after some more lacquer layer.



Nanako Nuri

It uses rape seeds for making patterns. While a lacquer

layer is still wet, seeds are spread on the surface,

and removed after a piece gets dried.

Luckily, I had an opportunity to experience one of the processes of making Tsugaru Nuri under the instruction of real Tsugaru Nuri craftsmen. What I experienced seemed the one in the photo above (Kara Nuri).

First of all, I was handed vermillion chopsticks. They looked that just vermillion lacquer was layered, but there lay more than 10 layers with patterns underneath.

I was to whet chopsticks with wet sandpaper. Not to damage the patterns, I had to whet very tenderly.

  

After whetting about 2 minutes, there appeared patterns from underneath.



I completed this process after about an hour, changing sandpapers three times gradually from the coarse one to the fine .

I have to wait for another 1 week to have my own chopsticks to be sent after real craftsman applies the additional finishing lacquer coatings followed by final surface polishing.

This opportunity was carried out in the exhibition of Tsugaru Nuri, and if you’d like to try, please refer to the following places.

“Tsugaru Traditional Art and Craft Store” from aptinet

http://en.aptinet.jp/detail/xmldetail.html?xmlid=00000261

“Tsugaru Neputa-mura Village” from aptinet

http://en.aptinet.jp/detail/xmldetail.html?xmlid=00000211

☆Aomori Sightseeing Guide “aptinet”  http://en.aptinet.jp/

 

Aomori Nebuta Festival

Aomori Nebuta Festival is one of three largest festivals in Tohoku region. More than 20 illuminated floats parade at night on the main streets in Aomori City.

The festival is held annually, from July 2nd to 7th (it’s held during daytime on the last day), and there’re always about 3 million (population of Aomori City is about 300 thousands) spectators from inside and outside of Aomori, even from overseas.

Nebuta Festival is designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

This festival is so famous that many people might have seen it through various kinds of media, but I think, living in Aomori, I’m lucky to see not only the festival itself but also the process of making a float.

1. Concept and rough sketch

The idea of nebuta is usually based on historical stories, myths and legends, sometimes kabuki stories are also adopted. A producer takes quite a long time to draft as the sketch is like a design drawing.

2. Putting up a hut

A hut is required for making nebuta and for storage. Frontage: approx. 12m, depth: approx. 12m, height: approx. 6~7m

3. Preparation of the details

Details like face, hands, feet, sword and spear are made beforehand. Size of the parts is calculated by proportional expression. Making those details continues until just before a hut is built.



I traced the eyes, nose and face on the photo.

 

4. Framework

Making the structure starts with making pillars of square timbers, and then outlines are formed with wires and threads. Bamboo used to be used until 1950s.

5. Electric wiring (lighting)

Candles were used inside nebuta for lighting before, but nowadays, about 1000 electric lights are used with power source from a generator. These days, LED is becoming popular for lighting.

6. Pasting papers

Japanese papers are pasted on the frames. Bond for woodworking is used, and it’s difficult not to put bond beyond the border of the frames. After completing this procedure, it becomes more like nebuta.

My co-worker Kyu-san tried pasting papers.

Professional!

 

7. Kakiwari (inking the outlines of the structure)

Faces, collar, belt and patterns of kimono (clothes) are to be framed with black ink. Inking is very important to bring about energy and force of nebuta.

8. Wax drawing

Wax drawing is another important procedure to deepen expressions of nebuta with melted paraffin wax. It brightens up nebuta and also prevents running of the color paints.

9. Coloring

To color remaining white area, dye-ink and water pigment are used with brushes and spray bottles.

10. Putting up to a stand

About 40 - 50 people are required to put up nebuta to the stand with wheels. Height of the whole float is approximately 5m.

      

Background and ASPAM



Generator underneath

11. This is it.

It still needs more decorations for the stand, but this is nebuta.

The Festival this year is finished, but you still get information for next year.
Aomori Nebuta Festival Official Homepage: http://www.atca.info/nebuta_en/

Aomori Sightseeing Guide "aptinet": http://en.aptinet.jp/

People to People Student Ambassador in Aomori – 03

On the fourth day of their stay in Aomori Prefecture, the delegation left their　homestay families in Hirakawa. All of them had good families that they wailed because of sadness as they departed (see the photo from the local bulletin in the previous article - 01).

After arriving in Aomori City, they visited the Prefectural Office to make a courtesy call on the vice governor of Aomori. They told the vice governor how they enjoyed their stay in Hirakawa and loved the host families, sceneries, food, people and every single experience.

The vice governor said that he wants them to lead to promote international understanding and friendship through experiences in Aomori.
 

The delegation and Aomori Prefecture exchanged the gifts, a Tsugaru lacquer ware (Tsugarunuri) to the delegation and a hand-made Native American blanket to Aomori Prefecture. The blanket was supposed to be handed last year, but because of the Earthquake, the program was cancelled that students couldn’t come to Japan.

After receiving an official welcome, they visited Aomori Minami High School. They were enthusiastically welcomed that despite of a short time visit, both American and Japanese students became good friends.

They were off to Lake Towada, the last place to visit in Aomori. After staying an overnight at Lake Towada, they'd go to Hiraizumi which is the area of World Heritage Site in Iwate Prefecture.

The students seemed to enjoy their stay in Aomori that they said they want to come back one day.

I spent with them only for a few days, but I loved them a lot and I hope they’d never forget their experiences in Aomori.

PEOPLE TO PEOPLE AMBASSADOR PROGRAMS: http://peopletopeople.com/

Aomori Sightseeing Guide "aptinet": http://en.aptinet.jp/

People to People Student Ambassador in Aomori - 02

On the third day of their stay in Aomori Prefecture, they visited Inakadate Village, neighboring village to Hirakawa, to see paddy field art.

Five kinds of rice with different leaf of colors, green, red, yellow, white and purple, are used to compose this art.

These are the first arts which can be viewed from the observatory at Inakadate Village Office. This art is in the motif of the Goddess of mercy and the God of Fire.

*There's a live camera at the observatory.
http://121.119.144.160:60019/viewer/live/ja/live.html

The second art, at the Roadside Station Inakadate, shows Seven Gods of Good Fortune on the “Kitamaebune (northern-bound cargo ships sailed from Osaka to Aomori during Edo and Meiji Periods)”.　The students formed human letters saying “P2P (People to People)” in front of the art.

They left Inakadate for Hirosaki, and what they did first in Hirosaki was to make hand-rolled sushi for lunch, and here’s what they made using rice, dried seaweed, mashed and seasoned fish (pink stuff), carrot and spinach.

After having sushi for lunch, they visited “Neputa Mura (Village)”. Neputa Festival is one of the four big summer festivals in Aomori Prefecture. This village is a museum about the festival and also where playing the shamisen can be experienced.

The students got a lecture on playing the shamisen by the national champion of 2011, and after practicing about 40 minutes, they mastered a Japanese song “Sakura”.

After experienced new and old musical instrument, they took part in a quiz rally in Hirosaki Park. They were to answer the questions on Hirosaki such as “How old is the oldest cherry tree in the park?”, “Which city (out of Portland, New York, Los Angeles) is the same latitude as Hirosaki?”.

Hirosaki Castle and a mascot character of Hirosaki  "Takamaru-kun"

The last visit of the day was Chosho-ji Temple in Zenringai.

Chosho-ji is a temple with Bodhisattvas built for Tsugaru Lords. Its Sanmon (main gate), standing 16.2 meters high, was built by the 2nd Lord Nobuhira in 1629. Sanmon is a teaching in Zen Buddhism signifying 'Sangedatsumon' (gate of the three liberation). There are 33 Zen temples along the Zenringai path, with the Zenringai area being designated a national important cultural property.

This article continues to 03.

Aomori Sightseeing Guide "aptinet": http://en.aptinet.jp/

People to People Student Ambassador in Aomori - 01

We had 22 students from the U.S. by People to People Ambassador Program. They spent 5 days in Aomori Prefecture, and experienced heaps of things.

They first visited Hirakawa City where they stayed with Japanese host families. Before they met their host families, they walked around the town viewing old style houses, gardens and warehouses.

On the second day, they enjoyed farming with their host families. They picked various vegetables, mowing the orchard and disbudded of grapes. (I didn’t accompany them on this day.)

Here’s the bulletin sent to my office from Onoe Warehouse Promotion Committee for Preservation, Utilization and Application, the host organization of farm staying. They show photos of farming and of the farewell on the last day in Hirakawa.

The next day, they would go to see the paddy field art in Inakadate Village.

This article continues to 02.

Aomori Sightseeing Guide "aptinet":  http://en.aptinet.jp/

Grazing Horses

In Shiriyazaki (Cape Shiriya), located at the eastern-tip of Shimokita Peninsula, Aomori Prefecture, there’re about 30 grazing horses called “Kandachime”. “Kan” means cold weather, “dachi” means standing and “me” means horse.

Red sign indicates Shiriyazaki.

Horses and Shiriya Lighthouse

Those horses used to hold an important position in farming that people preferred their physical strength and patience against cold weather and poor food, and also their sustaining power and obedient character were preferable.

They stay in Shiriyazaki from May to October, and in winter time, from November to April, they spend winter months in the wintering field called “Ataka”, 2.5 km south from Shiriyazaki.

Platinum blond?

This colt was born in May.

Very gentle

Twins

Kandachime and Shiriyazaki are designated as Natural Treasure of Aomori Prefecture.

Transportation: get on Shimokita Kotsu Bus (Shiriya Line) at Mutsu Bus 
                      Terminal, and get off at Shiriyazaki (1 hour), and approx.
                      20-minute walk to the lighthouse.


Aomori Sightseeing Guide "aptinet":  http://en.aptinet.jp/