![]() ![]() Shinichi, son of the founder Ishimatsu, took over as the second generation and had become known nationwide as a mirror maker of Kyoto. Renowned studios such as the Kanamori family and the Ao family known for providing mirrors to the Imperial palace shut their doors, and when the Showa era (1926 – 1989) arrived the Yamamoto family was the only remaining mirror maker in the city of Kyoto. Some craftsmen specialized in visiting households to polish old mirrors, an indication of the close relationship mirrors had with daily life.īut partway through the Meiji era (1868 – 1912), more and more mirror makers began going out of business due to the rapid spread of glass mirror. In addition to the creation of new mirrors, polishing old, cloudy mirrors was a significant portion of a mirror maker’s work. It was a time when Japanese mirrors were still an indispensable part of everyday life. Armed with the traditional techniques of Kyoto, he joined the dozens of other mirror makers that were in Kyoto at the time. ![]() Ishimatsu Yamamoto, the first generation, trained at the Kanamori family’s renowned mirror studio in Kyoto before striking out on his own. Yamamoto Metal Works was founded in 1866, in the final years of the Edo period. Much of a mirror maker’s work is done while sitting cross-legged. Once a bronze mirror is cast, it is ground and polished repeatedly. Since then, the family of mirror makers has continued making mirrors by hand through 151 years of upheaval and change. The family began its business in 1866 at the end of the Edo period, when Japanese mirrors were still an indispensable part of daily life. As his father Fujio is still an active mirror maker the moniker is not exactly accurate, but they are rare nonetheless. The last mirror maker-this phrase is appearing more often in introductions of Akihisa Yamamoto, the fifth generation of Yamamoto Metal Works, the only producer of handcrafted Japanese mirrors. Third generation: Shinji Yamamoto (Ouryu)įourth generation: Fujio Yamamoto (pictured on left)įifth generation: Akihisa Yamamoto (pictured on right) As part of Yamamoto Metal Works, the only producer of handcrafted Japanese mirrors, sacred mirrors, and magic mirrors in Japan, he is involved in the production of mirrors for Shinto shrines used as sacred hosts or offerings, the restoration of mirrors in museum collections, and more. Joined the family business after graduating from university. Yamamoto Metal Works alone has passed down the secret to their production to its fifth generation in the modern day.Īkihisa Yamamoto: Born in 1975. This is called the "magic mirror phenomenon."ĭuring the Edo period (1603 – 1868), Christians practiced their prohibited faith in secret with Christian magic mirrors-outwardly normal-looking mirrors that would reflect images of Christ or the Virgin Mary. When the mirror's surface wears thin, the design on the back of the mirror can sometimes appear faintly in its reflected light. Depending on the size of the mirror and complexity of the design, a mold can take several months to create. ![]() The craftsman hesitates, puts his tool down, and then selects another to continue creating the design. The designs featuring sacred beasts or scenes of natural beauty imprinted in the sand are then filled with molten metal, making every press of the fingers critical. The design on the back of the mirror is first drawn on paper, and then applied to a mold of sand by pressing with carving tools. Since they were brought to Japan from the continent in the Yayoi period (300 BC – 300 AD), they played a special role as a host to the gods. In ancient times, bronze mirrors had close ties to religious ritual. ![]()
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