Many people go to see castles for the love of history and architecture, but how many pay attention to the stone walls? In Sakamoto, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, the gate town of Hieizan Enryaku-ji Temple, the skills of the Anou-shu, a group of craftsmen specializing in stone wall building, are still being passed down today. We asked the Anou-shu about the origins, activities, and present day of the craftsmen, who have passed on all their skills only by oral tradition.

Anou-shu, a group of craftsmen specializing in stone wall building

Sakamoto, Otsu City, is located on the western shore of Lake Biwa in front of Hieizan Enryaku-ji Temple. In this town, known as the ” village of stone piles,” you will be greeted by magnificent stone walls everywhere you walk along the streets. The Anozurashu, a group of stone masonry craftsmen active mainly during the Warring States period, specialize in ” nozurazumi,” or piling up natural stones without processing them. The Anata-shu, who used their advanced skills to build solid stonewalls, were favored by feudal lords throughout Japan, and it is said that 70 to 80% of the stonewalls of castles in existence were built by the Anata-shu.

Roots in the Kofun Period

The roots of the Anata-shu are said to lie in the migration of people from the Korean Peninsula to Japan during the Kofun period, when Saicho founded Enryaku-ji Temple on Mt. The craftsmen were based in an area called Anou, which is why they were called Anou-shu.

Although masonry construction is associated with Europe, a large amount of concrete was already used in the Colosseum in Rome, which was built in 80 AD. Japan is an island nation where adhesive technologies such as cement and concrete were not introduced, and because Japan is an earthquake-prone country, strong foundations were needed under buildings to withstand shaking. Because of the climate of Japan, the technique of masonry was dramatically advanced and refined into a unique skill. Even today, no adhesives are used in Ano-shu masonry.

Nobunaga fell in love with their masonry techniques

The Ano-shu became famous when Oda Nobunaga built Azuchi Castle on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa. 1571, when Hieizan was burned down, Nobunaga ordered the remaining stone walls to be torn down so that they could never be rebuilt. However, no matter how much he tried to break down the stone walls, they did not collapse. Nobunaga was so surprised by the solidity of the walls that he mobilized the Anata-shu to build Azuchi Castle. Since then, the name of Anata-shu has become well known throughout Japan, and it is said that Anata-shu later worked on Himeji Castle, Takeda Castle, Osaka Castle, Nagoya Castle, and Edo Castle.

Anata-shu craftsmanship was licensed, and it was a rule that no matter how much skill was honed in various parts of the country, the craftsmen had to return to their home region to complete their training before they could claim the name of their craftsmen. Therefore, when a new craftsman took over, he always came to Sakamoto for training and inherited the Anata-shu name. This shows the importance he placed on passing on authentic techniques as a craftsman.

Awata Construction is the only company in modern times to carry on the Anata-shu’s techniques.

Suminori Awata of Awata Construction Co. Based in Sakamoto, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, where the splendid stone walls once piled by the Anodashu still remain, Suminori Awata continues to work throughout Japan as the 15th head of the Anodashu.

It is said that there were thousands of Anata-shu throughout Japan in their heyday, but today only Awata Construction is left. Stone wall building is not just about piling stones; it is a division of labor system, with people cutting stones from the mountains, transporting them, and piling them. When the Warring States Period ended and new castles were no longer being built, the people who quarried the stones were assigned to work on gravestones and other stonework, while those who carried the stones were assigned to work as “flying expeditions” or other transportation jobs, and the work became scattered. Those who piled stones lost their jobs, but thankfully we have Enryaku-ji Temple on Mt. Hieizan nearby, and there are many shrines and temples in Shiga Prefecture. Thanks to this, we are able to continue our work by adding stone walls and undertaking restoration and civil engineering work,” he says.

It is a matter of course that once stone walls are piled up, they last for 300 or 400 years. Today, it is difficult to continue masonry as a business, but he still hopes to somehow pass on this skill to future generations.

What I think about restoring stonewalls

Today, when new castles are no longer being built, most of his work involves the restoration of stone walls that have collapsed due to earthquakes or deterioration.

The stonewalls of Kumamoto Castle, which collapsed in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, were originally built by Anata-shu, but most of those that collapsed due to the earthquake were parts that were repaired during the Meiji period without using Anata-shu techniques. On the other hand, the parts built 400 years ago remained intact. The ironclad rule for the restoration of cultural properties is to “restore to the original state,” but is it really better to return to the state in which they were restored in the Meiji era before the collapse? Mr. Awata also believes that the fact that the entire foundation had been reinforced with concrete may have been a cause of the collapse. With the recent increase in the number of major earthquakes, perhaps it is time to stop and think about whether modern technology alone is really the best choice.

Stone walls made of natural stone stronger than concrete

Anotashu is specialized in ” Nosazurazumi,” a method of piling up natural stones without processing them. This technique can be seen in the stone walls of Takeda Castle (Hyogo Prefecture) in the photo. There are other stone wall piling techniques, such as “Uchikomi-hagi,” a technique in which stones are processed and piled up by interlocking them, as seen at Himeji Castle, and “Kirikomi-hagi,” a technique in which stones are completely cut into squares and piled up without gaps, as seen at Nijo Castle. In Shiga Prefecture, the technique used at Azuchi Castle is called “field face piling. In Shiga Prefecture, you can actually see a stone wall made of field masonry at Azuchi Castle.

When Ano-shu received a request, they first went to the location and piled up stonewalls using local stones wherever they went. The reason castles of the Warring States period were built on top of mountains is that they were built in places where stones could be extracted. Mr. Awata says that masonry begins with the selection of stones. First, he draws a plan in his mind, stares at the stones, thinks, “This stone will be used here, that stone will fit here,” and brings the stones home. It is no exaggeration to say that 70 to 80% of his work is completed at the stone selection stage.

The secret to building a strong stone wall lies in the ” chestnut stones ” that cannot be seen from the outside. By carefully filling the stone walls with fine stones called chestnut stones, they provide cushioning in the event of earthquakes and improve drainage, making the walls less prone to collapse. There is also ingenuity in the way the stones are stacked. By piling the stones horizontally, the entire weight is supported by the wide base, and the stone wall is designed so that gravity is applied about one-third of the way back from the surface, making it difficult for the wall to collapse. In a load-bearing test of the stone wall and concrete blocks piled by Anotashu, the concrete cracked at 220 tons, while the stone wall continued to withstand 250 tons of weight, which is surprising.

Listen to the stones.”

When the stone walls are piled up, there are moments when a stone fits perfectly in its place when you place it. When that happens,” Awata says, “I am happy because I feel like I can hear the stone’s voice. Listen to the voice of the stones. Let the stones go where they want to go, not where we want them to go,” is what Mr. Awata has been told by his predecessors. Stones are just like the world. Every stone, no matter what its shape, has a role to play, and none of them are useless. He has been told that each stone has its own individuality in terms of appearance, character, and so on, and that the combination of all these elements makes up the stone wall.

Stone walls have a completely different finish depending on who piles them. It shows your personality. For example, my grandfather is delicate and follows the shape of the stone precisely. My father was rather rough, piling up large stones and then filling in the gaps with smaller stones. I learned masonry from my grandfather, so I have inherited his method of piling stones in small pieces,” he says. When he sees stonewalls at restoration sites, he has a vague idea of the kind of person who piled them. There are times when I think, “They cut a few corners here and there,” or “If they had been more careful, the walls would not have collapsed,” but the most important thing for castles built in the Warring States period was how quickly they could be completed. Stone walls that would normally take six months to assemble and more than a year, including preparation, were completed in one or two months in those days. The influence of the Anata-shu on castle building during the Warring States period is immeasurable.

Masonry Techniques Passed Down Orally for 400 Years

The Ano-shu’s masonry techniques were all passed down orally. There are no written records left behind. The blueprints of castles and stone walls are what we now call military secrets. If they were to be passed on to the enemy, everything would be exposed, from the devices used inside the castle to effective methods of attack. This is the reason why the Awata family, which is said to have existed for more than 1,000 years, still counts only 15 generations.

During the Warring States Period, local farmers helped pile stones under the direction of the Anata-shu. The main means of transportation in those days was oxen and horses. Therefore, castles were not built in spring and fall, when farmers were busy with agriculture. The Anata-shu’s technique of combining natural stones, no two of which were the same, and which was passed down in strict secrecy to a limited number of craftsmen, may have made it difficult to preserve it in written form.

I will not build a stone wall that will collapse in my son’s or grandson’s generation.

Our work is very special. If we build something that will last for 400 or 500 years and it collapses, people say we are not good at it. Sometimes I wonder how long it will last before I am considered good at my job, but that is why I am so particular about the strength of my work. Nowadays, many people may think it is better if the stone wall looks pretty and if it lasts as long as they live, it is enough, but I do not want the name of Awata to remain on the stone wall and when it collapses hundreds of years from now, people will say, “The 15th generation of Awata was not good at it. We are one of the last houses in Anata. I don’t want to build a stone wall that will collapse in my son’s or grandson’s generation with this technique that has been trusted to be resistant to earthquakes and disasters,” said Awata.

It is a difficult job and requires a lot of determination, but he is determined to carry on this technique.

What does Mr. Awata think is a great stone wall?

We asked him about great stone walls from a professional’s point of view. He replied, “My personal favorite is Takeda Castle in Hyogo Prefecture. It is said that this stone wall was also built by Anotashu. You can see a unique stone wall that is a well-balanced combination of natural stones of various sizes,” he said. Four hundred years have passed since the castle was abandoned and no buildings remain, but the stonewalls remain almost exactly as they were, and the Awata family has been entrusted with their restoration for three generations. The Awata family has been entrusted with restoring the stonewalls for three generations. “I learn a lot from watching my grandfather and father repair the stonewalls, and I have a special attachment to them,” Mr. Awata smiles.

By looking at the stonewalls, one can learn about the thoughts of the castle’s owners and the historical background of the time. During the Warring States period, the structure of a castle was a matter of life and death. By looking at the route, we can realize that they must have ambushed here, and if the stone walls are bold and warped, we can guess that they are from the Azuchi-Momoyama period. It is also interesting to note that the stone steps of Azuchi Castle are overtly made of gravestones and jizo, which gives us a glimpse into the background of the period when stones were in short supply due to the rush to build the castle and the temper of the castle’s lord, Nobunaga.

To preserve the beautiful Japanese landscape

Mr. Awata is sometimes invited overseas to lay stone walls. When he worked in the U.S., he says he was moved to tears when he saw a Japanese man living there say, ” These stone walls remind me of Japan.

I have a son, but if things continue as they are, it will be difficult for me to proudly tell my son to take over. I can see that he will have a hard time. For that reason, I have to somehow create a path for him while I am still able to work,” says Awata. He is also actively taking on overseas work, and says he hopes that the stone walls will attract attention, which will lead to a time when the appeal of masonry will be reevaluated in Japan as well.

In Tokyo, one can see a stone wall piled by Awata Construction used as an Olympic memorial monument at Bajikouen. It is rather small, but it was made entirely by hand, reusing the stone walls of Edo Castle. Touch the stone, listen to its voice, and ponder the skills that have been passed down from one generation to the next.

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MARUNAO began as an engraving business decorating temples and shrines in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture.
Today, Marnao produces a wide variety of woodworking products such as chopsticks.
The products, which inherit the traditional techniques of carving and the experience of handling fine wood, are characterized by their high functionality and sophisticated appearance.
We offer products that are beautiful down to the smallest detail, combining the skillful handcraftsmanship we have accumulated over many years with the latest technology.

The Beginning of MARUNAO’s “Chopsticks

The Tsubame-Sanjo area is located slightly northwest of the center of Niigata Prefecture. Yahiko and overlooking the countryside of the Echigo Plain, lies the factory that also serves as the store for MARUNAO (MARUNAO Corporation). In this modern factory surrounded by forests, wooden cutlery, such as octagonal chopsticks and other high-end chopsticks and spoons, are carefully handmade one by one by craftsmen.

Marnao was founded in 1939. The company was founded in 1939 (Showa 14), when the grandfather of the current president, Takahiro Fukuda, started manufacturing carpentry tools in anticipation of postwar housing demand, based on the traditional techniques of temple and shrine and Buddhist altar carving that he had been engaged in until then. The company’s main product was the Sumitsubo Guruma, one of the three sacred tools of carpentry and a necessity for drawing straight lines. Since then, the company has continued to manufacture carpentry tools even though the year has changed to the Heisei era. However, as the times changed, demand for construction work declined and construction methods changed, necessitating a new business development. The third generation of the company, Mr. Fukuda, then, decided to use his craftsmanship in making hand tools to create chopsticks, which he saw as “something close to the human body and close to the delicate senses of those who use them.

Marnao Products Spreading Around the World

Carpenters who continue to use the tools they are accustomed to will never use them again once they are betrayed by them. Knowing this, Marnao wanted to produce only tools that they could be proud of and confident in. After much trial and error, they arrived at the octagonal wooden chopsticks with a tip of only 1.5 mm. When held in the hand, the even-numbered angles that fit the middle finger were the most stable, and the shape was both easy to grasp and pleasant to the palate. The shape of the chopsticks was also found to be suitable for hard woods such as ebony and ebony, which have a high density and do not allow water to penetrate easily. In particular, ebony, which is a representative wood for Marnao products and belongs to the family of Oysteraceae, has excellent water resistance, which is essential for wooden chopsticks that do not have lacquered surfaces, and the wood itself has antibacterial properties that are hygienic and beautiful to look at as well as being extremely durable. However, the use of rare and precious wood naturally led to high selling prices. At the time of the launch, the most expensive pair of Wajima-nuri chopsticks sold in department stores was priced at 5,000 yen, while the most expensive pair of Wajima-nuri-chopsticks was priced at 12,000 yen. Buyers were skeptical, asking why wooden chopsticks were so expensive. Nevertheless, Marnao’s chopsticks received high acclaim each time they were sold in person at major department stores, and consumers who actually enjoy eating with chopsticks began to understand how easy they were to hold and how good they felt in the mouth. In 2004, when torrential rains hit Niigata Prefecture, causing the Igarashi River running through Sanjo City to overflow and forcing the replacement of all machinery and materials at the Marnao factory, Mr. Fukuda, who had a solid response to the chopstick production, decided to change the course of his business plan to focus on chopstick production and persuaded his father, the second generation The following year, Mr. Fukuda assumed the position of representative director. The following year, Mr. Fukuda assumed the position of representative director and began to further develop the chopstick manufacturing business in earnest.

In 2009, the company exhibited its chopsticks alone for the first time at Ambiente in Frankfurt, Germany, the world’s largest international trade fair for consumer goods. The response was not bad. The following year, with an eye on demand for Western-style food, the company added wooden spoons to its lineup, with a base pressure of only 2 mm, which were both pleasant to the palate and beautiful to look at. The spoons and chopsticks caught the eye of Joel Robuchon, a master of French cuisine, who happened to be in town and decided to use the spoons and chopsticks at his Japanese restaurant in Monaco. With this as a foothold, the company next exhibited at Maison & Objet, an international exhibition held in Paris. Once the spoon and other culturally-appropriate products were accepted, chefs from prestigious starred restaurants began to seek out cutlery produced by Marnao’s advanced polishing techniques, and the company’s name recognition in Europe grew rapidly.

Tradition and innovation create MARNAO’s tools.

As Marnao’s products began to gain recognition and many buyers began to visit the factory, the craftsmen began to experience undue stress from having to interrupt their work every time a visitor came to the factory. In order to open the factory to the public at all times, a new building with an open factory and a directly-managed store was established in 2014 at the current location, where consumers can freely observe the manufacturing process. The glass partition between the manufacturing site and the gallery blocks out the presence of visitors, and the dark tone of the space on the visitor’s side makes it difficult for the craftsmen to see the visitors, allowing them to concentrate on their work. The design also allows visitors to feel the passion of the craftsmen for their craftsmanship up close, even through the glass. This structure led to a moderate sense of tension among the craftsmen, which positively contributed to the improvement of their technical skills.

In 2017 (Heisei 29), the company opened a directly managed store in Tokyo. Two years later, he opened his first overseas store in Paris, a long-sought-after first for Niigata Prefecture, as he wanted to “take on the challenge in a place with a different food culture and food history.

Plans are underway to build a new restaurant on the factory grounds to provide a place where visitors can actually eat with Marnao chopsticks and spoons. Marnao’s craftsmanship, which began with traditional carving techniques before World War II, has become the creation of beautiful and ideal tableware with the same high level of craftsmanship as at that time. The main focus should be on food, and the utensils should play a supporting role,” says Fukuda. The utensils should be easy to hold, easy to use, and clean. We have a strong awareness that we are making eating utensils that are touched by hand and put in the mouth,” he says proudly. This confidence and pride in providing the world with products that are truly good will continue to support Marnao’s further development.

Marnao’s craftsmanship began with the traditional techniques of engraving. Today, the company skillfully utilizes the outstanding skills of its elite craftsmen to produce products with high precision and beautiful workmanship. We will continue to produce tools that fuse tradition and innovation based on the trajectory of our predecessors.

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The post Beautiful MARUNAO “MARUNAO” luxury chopsticks created with pride of craftsmanship and fine wood / Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

SUWADA’s nipper-type nail clippers,” well-reputed from all quarters.

Nail clippers are one of the daily household tools that everyone uses on a daily basis.In Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture, there is a company that has been refining its craftsmanship for more than 70 years since the end of World War II, specializing in the comfort and ease of use of nail clippers for the sole purpose of cutting fingernails and toenails.The company is Suwada Seisakusho Co.Suwada’s world-famous products, which have won numerous awards both in Japan and abroad under the brand name “SUWADA,” are characterized by their nipper shape.Conventional folding-type nail clippers, known as clipper-type nail clippers, have a short blade opening of only 2 to 3 mm when in use, so it is often difficult to cut ingrown or deformed nails as desired.The nipper type, however, has a wide blade opening and a flexible angle of approach to the area to be cut, making it easy to cut nails of any shape.They are highly evaluated by nail artists and medical and nursing care professionals.

Suwada Seisakusho was founded in 1926.The company’s origins date back to 1926, when it began manufacturing “kuikiri” tools used by carpenters to meet the demand for housing reconstruction after the Great Kanto Earthquake.The manufacturing technology and shape of the tool evolved into today’s modern nail clippers, which have two blades that fit together from both sides to cut the object.Since its founding, Suwada Seisakusho has been synonymous with technical prowess, and the technology of the “aiba” blade has created a sharpness that sets the company apart from the rest.The blade is polished by hand with sandpaper, and adjustments are made while polishing it down to the micron level.This delicate process, the most difficult and time-consuming of the entire process, has been handed down from generation to generation by skilled craftsmen.The sharpness of the blade produced in this way has won the overwhelming support of professionals.

The “SUWADA’s nipper-type nail clippers” are the reason for this feature.

All manufacturing processes at Suwada Seisakusho are supported by the craftsmanship of skilled craftsmen, from the selection of materials, forging, parts processing, polishing, and mating of blades.Even a single nail clipper requires 50 to 60 processes before completion.Some products require more than 100 processes before they are finally finished.There is no compromise on quality and beauty.Currently, production continues at a pace of 8,000 pieces per month, but they are so popular that they can barely keep up with orders and have no room left in their inventory.Suwada Seisakusho makes genuine and long-life products.I don’t think there is any other company that pushes nail clippers this far.”Rui Saito, sales manager, is proud to say so.Since they are blades, they can lose their sharpness or their springiness over time.Suwada Seisakusho handles maintenance for all of its products.Craftsmen resharpen the blade, adjust the movement, and replace the spring, making it possible to continue using the product for a long time as a truly long-life item.

Suwada Seisakusho continues to grow

In 2020, the company opened a stylish open factory as an “open factory.The interior is all black, but there is a reason for this that is unique to Suwada Seisakusho.In the forging process, craftsmen judge the quality of work by the color of the material heated by fire.For this reason, work has traditionally been done in a dark place so that it is easy to see.By opening up the actual manufacturing process to the public through factory tours, the philosophy of craftsmanship and understanding of the products have deepened, and at the same time, the motivation of the craftspeople has increased.Today, the factory also has a store, restaurant, and café, and is one of the area’s most famous tourist attractions.It will soon be 100 years since the company was founded.The nipper-shaped nail clippers, which have been refined through a thorough commitment to “creating the real thing,” appear to have already reached their ultimate perfection, but “there are still many areas for improvement,” Saito says.Saito has also begun to take on the challenge of entering the new field of tools for use in the kitchen and dining room: the “sommelier knife” and “wine opener,” which won the 2020 Good Design Award, have been recognized not only for their sophisticated design and functionality, but also for their “food” aspect, which has not been directly linked to the “food” field until now.They were also a catalyst for the company’s emergence in the field of “food,” a field to which it had not been directly linked until then.In addition to these products, Suwada Seisakusho’s new initiatives, such as expanding its cutlery lineup, have been attracting a great deal of attention.Suwada’s uncompromising attitude in its constant pursuit of better products must be the craftsmanship that the world appreciates.

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