The production and distribution structure of Japan's traditional industries is characterized by division of labor, and the Sumi ink industry is no exception. It involves various shokunin (craftsmen), such as the soot making shokunin, Sumi ink shokunin, and the ink mold carver, all playing crucial roles in the process.
The mission of "Monthly Governance" is to collectively create communities, and in the October 2023 issue, Mr. Nagano from Kinkoen and Mr. Goho Nakamura, who specializes in making wooden molds for ink, were featured.
Mr. Nakamura is currently the only Sumi ink mold carver in Japan. Even at the age of 91, he continues to work actively, carving intricate and three-dimensional animal designs into hard wooden molds. Among the recent creations by Kinkoen, there is a type of sumi ink known as "ohajiki sumi," which showcases his remarkable carving skills. Please be sure to take note of the exquisite craftsmanship involved.
