[Takaoka Copperware]

"Takaoka copperware" is said to have begun in the early Edo period when the Kaga Maeda family invited seven founders to the Takaoka area in Toyama Prefecture.

Initially, iron castings were used to produce pots and pans and other daily necessities, as well as agricultural implements, and the industry grew to become the mainstay of the town of Takaoka. Eventually, the development of copper casting production, which could express complex and delicate shapes, led to the production of art objects and Buddhist ritual implements. Along with this development, decorative techniques such as coloring, inlaying, and engraving also developed, and the products exhibited at the Paris Universal Exposition of 1867 were highly acclaimed internationally.

Takaoka has established a division of labor system in which all the processes necessary for manufacturing Takaoka copperware, including prototype making, casting, finishing such as engraving and inlaying, and coloring, can be done locally, supporting the largest production in Japan, accounting for more than 90% of all copperware in Japan.

In addition to copper, Takaoka copperware can be made from a variety of metals, including iron, aluminum, tin, gold, and silver, and can be finished in a rich variety of ways. In recent years, manufacturers and brands that take advantage of the characteristics of Takaoka copperware have produced a succession of products that are familiar to us in our daily lives.

Takaoka copperware is a traditional craft representing Toyama Prefecture. Please take a moment to explore their page featuring both traditional and innovative products by clicking on the link below.

Otera Kohachiro Shoten
https://www.shokunin.com/en/otera/eto.html
Nousaku
https://www.shokunin.com/en/nousaku/
Susumuya
https://www.shokunin.com/en/susumuya/
momentum factory Orii
https://www.shokunin.com/en/orii/kaki.html

Reference
https://douki-takaoka.jp/about