Pieces of peace: Shining a light on Hiroshima’s history of craftsmanship

A sword-merchant faces the outlawing of his product. A kamikaze pilot, saved by a stroke of fate, finds fortune in the ashes of a decimated city. A young man embarks on a journey to the Yangtze Valley in an audacious bid to reach the pinnacle of his craft.

These are just some of the stories associated with a little-known side of Hiroshima’s history that Makoto Doi from Attractive Japan seeks to highlight in a new initiative.

Hiroshima will forever be associated with the world’s first nuclear attack in August, 1945. While the mushroom cloud symbolizes the tragedy of Hiroshima, its remarkable recovery is a source of hope and inspiration. Revival of the city’s manufacturing base was an essential element in this recovery. Doi believes that a spirit of innovation and resilience developed over its 300-year-history was a key factor in how quickly this was achieved. It is this spirit and a desire to honor the legacy of their forefathers that drives the current crop of leaders in both modern and traditional industries.

The samurai roots of manufacturing in Hiroshima

The 41 craftsmen that accompanied Nagaakira Asano when he was installed as ruler of Hiroshima in 1619, are thought to have kickstarted manufacturing in Hiroshima. Asano invited experts from around Japan to pass on the latest techniques, allowing local craftsmen to make the most of the natural resources – including iron, forged from locally available iron-sand – that were shipped to the castle town via an efficient river network.

Hiroshima Needles crafted by Tulip go through a 30-step process. Image: Shota Matono

For the next two and a half centuries, industry and culture thrived under the Asano clan. The fruits of the labors of artisans specializing in woodcarving, metal work, pressing gold leaf and lacquer painting were assembled to create impressive Buddhist altars. To the west of the castle, bonsai were cultivated for the gardens of the elite. Low ranking samurai were encouraged to supplement their incomes by making needles; the genesis of the Hiroshima needle industry, which commands 90% of the domestic market today. During the 19th century, itinerant merchants brought brush-making techniques home to the towns of Kumano and Kawajiri, establishing a thriving calligraphy brush industry which they still dominate.

Weathering the storms of history

While the end of feudalism was an opportunity for many, it presented obstacles for some. An 1871 decree prohibiting the possession of swords, for example, forced a local sword-merchant to pivot to selling the gold screens he had seen in the homes of samurai on his sales calls. Then, facing supply chain issues, he developed a revolutionary new process which could utilize brass leaf; cheaper, but with the long lasting luster of real gold to make gilded paper.

Rekiseisha’s gilded paper factory was rebuilt around this chimney that survived the A-bomb blast. Image: Shota Matono

The greatest of all challenges came, of course, on August 6, 1945 when three centuries of progress was wiped out in an instant. His factory in ruins, the gilded paper maker turned to selling paper coated with tar to protect A-bomb shanty towns from rain. Nearby, a teenager, spared from a kamikaze mission by an American air raid, pulled machinery out of the debris to repair and sell to needlemakers returning from the war. Thanks to the grit and determination to rebuild, displayed across the burnt plain of Hiroshima, the city was able to rise from the ashes like a phoenix.

The next generation of craftsmanship

Today, Hiroshima and the surrounding region is home to over 300 companies that, thanks to unique technologies, dominate their markets at home or abroad. More traditional craft industries, on the other hand, face declining demand. A new crop of artisans are seeking to diversify and are stepping out of their workshops to showcase the intrinsic value of the uncompromising quality they pursue.

Stunning lacquerware by Naoya Takayama Image: Shota Matono

Calligraphy brush makers have found some success in crafting cosmetics brushes, while a 4th generation head of a company that had, hitherto, specialized in Buddhist altars turned his hand to crafting lacquerware with a modern twist during the Covid pandemic. The latter attracted attention last year when his work was gifted to delegations participating in the Hiroshima G7 Summit. In a similar fashion, an incense burner that added ashes of origami peace cranes sent to Hiroshima found itself in the hands of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Inori incense burner Image: Courtesy of Taigendo

Others, while maintaining a deep respect for tradition, push the limits of their craft. Some working with artists, designers, and even techno music producers, while the latest in a long line of landscapers that predates even the arrival of Nagaakira Asano, vies for the attention of a younger generation with “Bonsai Beer.”

Reinvigoration through international recognition

Brushmaker Bunshindo is one of several companies that have opened their workshops to visitors. Image: Shota Matono

Mokoto Doi, deeply moved by these stories, feels an obligation to do what he can to ensure the survival of Hiroshima craftsmanship. With domestic demand in decline, he is looking overseas. The first step is sharing the fascinating backstories of the people behind some of Japan's highest quality products in English. Visitors to Hiroshima are also to be given opportunities to tour workshops to see work in progress, try their hands at some of the craft techniques, and to meet the artisans themselves. Finally, a selection of Hiroshima-made crafts will be available for sale online.

The Peace Piece project aims to attract more young people, like Kubo pictured here at kendama-maker Iwata Mokko, into traditional manufacturing. Image: Shota Matono

Doi is banking on igniting among people outside Japan the kind of passion he feels, but not merely to make a few extra sales. Despite the challenges Hiroshima’s artisans have met so far, they fear that a lack of successors who will continue their crafts may be one they cannot overcome. Doi hopes that attention from overseas will encourage Japan’s youth to view traditional manufacturing in a new light and as a possible career path; to ensure that there are many more stories to come.

Read more about the Peace Piece project here https://peacepiece-hiroshima.com/