Selected Materials - Fusuma

Fusuma ... A Japanese-style room consists of materials themselves such as woods, papers and soil. Therefore, the structure itself calls for a beauty, with a few decoration. However, sometimes paintings or design patterns are drawn on fusuma.
In this page, we introduce Kyo-Karakami which is used in a house of the nobility or the upper samurai class in Kyoto.

Fusuma*...A vertical rectangular sliding panel, often painted or decorated, used in Japan as a door or movable wall.

１．	At first, prepare printing pattern blocks. A lot of pattern blocks are left in Kyoto. For example, there are the nature motif patterns like the clouds or plants. Those are typical Japanese designs because we have four seasons in a year.
２．	Next, apply color on its wooden blocks by using a tool of 'furui'. We have several color paints with high viscosity such as Kirara(isinglass), Gofun(white pigment) or Shikkui(lacquer).
３．	Copy its patterns on paper. The 'hon-torinoko,' a traditional handmade Echizen paper is shown in this picture. Press it softly with palms. The wood blocks are carved deeply so that colored parts enlarge widely. Those printing technique has been same for 400 years. *Today, in the former Echizen Province a handmade paper is called 'hon-torinoko' and machine-made paper is called 'torinoko.'
４．	A pulling handle design is also created to match fusuma paper. Process copper and brass manually, and perform the handicraft design like an art work.
５．	In this picture, several different papers are applied to make one design, such as checkerboard pattern or bicolor design. You can try to create your own fusuma design.
Cooperation: Maruni Co., Ltd. and Katoku Co., Ltd