October 2018

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Osaka Suzuki was founded in the late Edo period. They manufacture products applying the traditional techniques, where they cast into a mold and grind using potter's wheel. Tin came to Japan around 1300 years ago. It is known to have a great ion effect and it removes zatsumi (unfavorable tastes in sake) from sake, turning the taste milder. Thus, it is said that Osaka Suzuki's cups, which are made of tin, make alcohol's taste smoother.
https://www.shokunin.com/en/osaka/standard.html
https://www.shokunin.com/en/osaka/berg.html
https://www.shokunin.com/en/osaka/guinomi.html

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[Kurikawa Shoten's Shibu Uchiwa]

The production of Kutami Uchiwa began in 1600. A traveling priest from Marugame City, a city famous for "uchiwa", initiated people in Kutami City into the production method of "uchiwa", in return for letting him stay a night at the city.

The uchiwa is coated with persimmon tannin, which makes its Japanese traditional paper (washi) strong and long-lasting, while also having an effect of insect proofing. Shibu Uchiwa can only be produced by Kutami, a word that means "people come", and thus, believed to lead people to have thriving businesses, which is why their uchiwa served as a lucky charm and often used as gifts.

Kurikawa Shoten is the only workshop that inherits the tradition of Kutami City, a city that is counted one of the three greatest production areas of uchiwa in Japan, other than Kyoto and Marugame City.
https://www.shokunin.com/en/kurikawa/