In the Kishu region, pine soot sumi ink gained renown for its exceptional quality during the Edo period. Its excellence was such that it received support from Shogun Yoshimune of the Kii Tokugawa family, who designated it as the official sumi ink for the shogunate. However, as the Edo period drew to a close, the art of sumi ink-making dwindled, and in the 1950s, pine soot production came to a complete halt.
Mr. Horiike has resurrected the traditional 'shoji-bumi' method of pine soot production, emerging as the sole pine soot artisan in Japan and carrying on the flame of this tradition. The 'shoji daki' method involves placing a furnace in a room approximately the size of one tatami mat. Pine wood logs are burned one by one in the furnace to maintain a steady flame, and the soot adhering to the room is collected by sweeping it off. Quite literally, it is a demanding process that leaves the artisan covered in soot from head to toe.
Kishu sumi ink is made with "Ochimatsu Shoen," soot made with burned dried pine wood. Sumi ink produced from the pine soot obtained through the "Ochimatsu" is known for its beautifully blended gradations due to the scattered particles of soot. This characteristic makes it widely cherished, offering a broad range of expressive possibilities and gaining popularity among many users.
