[VILLAGE Report vol.28] Seven Production Areas in the Mountains | Nagano Prefecture

Nagano Prefecture’s nationally designated crafts are Shinshu pongee, Kiso lacquerware, Iiyama Buddhist altars, Uchiyama paper, Matsumoto furniture, Nagiso woodturning, Shinshu forged blades seven items in total.

When you check their locations on a map, you notice something.

Separated by mountains

Kiso is in the southwest, Iiyama and Uchiyama in the northeast, Shinano Town in the north, Matsumoto in the center, and Nagiso at the southwestern edge. The seven production areas are scattered across the prefecture, separated by mountains.

Hyogo (vol.24) was also “all in different places,” but that was a story of broad regions such as Harima, Tajima, and Tamba.

Nagano is divided by mountains is what makes them different. You cannot get to the next area without crossing a mountain pass. So each one developed independently.

Within one prefecture, there are seven production areas with little interaction. This is a form unique to a mountainous region.

Lacquerware of a post town

Kiso lacquerware is made mainly in Hirasawa, a lacquerware town along the Nakasendo route.

Its defining feature is sabitsuchi clay a local clay mixed into the base layer. This helps the lacquer adhere and makes it durable.

Kiso is also Kiso hinoki cypress production area. The wood for the vessels and the clay for the base were both found locally.

And a highway ran through the area. Hida Shunkei in Gifu (vol.26) was lacquerware that showed the wood grain, but Kiso sold itself on durability lacquerware. For travelers buying something to take home, the first priority was that it would not break easily.

A snow country of paper and Buddhist altars

Uchiyama paper is washi paper made from kozo around Iiyama.

Papermaking in this region includes "snow bleaching" a process in which kozo is spread out on the snow and naturally whitened by sunlight and the snow’s reflection.

It is a way of bleaching without chemicals. The heavy snowfall itself becomes part of the quality.

In the same Iiyama, Iiyama Buddhist altars is no coincidence. During winters when snow made farm work impossible, indoor handwork developed.

Hikone Buddhist altars in Shiga (vol.21) came from former weapons craftsmen of the domain. Iiyama was born from "long winters."

The lathe and furniture

Nagiso woodturning is woodturning, made by applying a blade while rotating wood. Trays, bowls, and tea saucers.

Matsumoto furniture is furniture that began around the time the castle town of Matsumoto was established in the late 16th century. After the war, the Mingei movement supported the rebuilding of the production area.

As I have written several times in this series, tradition can be added along the way.

Next issue, we go to Yamanashi. We will talk about deer leather.

References: Nagano Prefecture, Shiojiri City, Iiyama City, Nagiso Town, Matsumoto City, Association for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries

—The Value Village Editorial Team

Photo: 663highland / CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)