Koshu Inden: Nurtured by the Koshu Kaido and Beloved in Edo

About 100 kilometers from the heart of Edo (modern-day Tokyo), down one of the five major highways connecting the capital to the provinces, lies Kofu in Yamanashi Prefecture. This bustling hub, with a rich flow of people and goods from Edo, is where Koshu Inden was nurtured.

"The first five Tokugawa shoguns were direct descendants of Ieyasu, but the sixth and seventh shoguns came from the Kofu domain. As a result, the shogun's retainers (hatamoto) traveled back and forth between Edo and Kofu frequently, which led to Kofu's prosperity. It seems Koshu Inden became a popular souvenir for people from Edo."

The Japanese use of deerskin dates back to the Jomon period. During the Sengoku (Warring States) period, it was used for armor and other military equipment. In the Edo period, these techniques were repurposed, giving birth to the craft of Koshu Inden.

"There are several theories about the origin of the name 'Inden,' but the most prominent one is that it's an abbreviation of 'Indo-denrai' (transmitted from India). The craft began by imitating Indian products using Japanese lacquer and deerskin. Initially, items were limited to small pouches and tobacco pipe cases, but the craft evolved with the times. From the Meiji era onward, artisans began producing bags, wallets, and clasp purses, which were new items introduced to Japan."

The workshop was founded in 1955. The founder, Kinnosuke Yamamoto, had trained as an Inden artisan before the war, but as the conflict intensified, it became increasingly difficult to produce Inden works.

"In 1941, four years before the end of the war, we were required to supply all deerskin to the state for use in filtering aviation fuel. The founder was also drafted as a soldier, tasked with repairing military uniforms and bags on the battlefield."

When the founder returned from the war, he found Kofu burnt to the ground from air raids. He used his Inden bag-making skills to manufacture school backpacks (randoseru) for children, saved up capital, and eventually established his company as Yamamoto Shoten.

The "Job" I Coveted: Inspired by My Father's Plaque

Yamamoto hadn't considered a life as an artisan. Hooked on video games from a young age, he always dreamed of a career in game development. But everything changed in his second year of junior high when his father, Makoto Yamamoto, was certified as a Traditional Craft Master.

"When I saw the Traditional Craft Master plaque, I was struck by how cool a job with 'shi' (士, a suffix often meaning master or warrior) in its name was. I thought, 'I want one of those with my name on it.' In the world of RPGs, you have 'jobs' like Warrior or Mage. But the moment my father earned the real-world title of 'Dento Kogeishi' (Traditional Craft Master), it became the ultimate 'job' I aspired to."

Becoming a Traditional Craft Master requires 12 years of experience as an artisan. To get there as quickly as possible, he considered starting his apprenticeship right after junior high, but his father and teachers talked him out of it. Instead, he attended a comprehensive high school to learn skills useful for a craftsman, such as business and systems engineering, and waited to graduate. But during the summer vacation of his final year, an unexpected event occurred.

"In the summer of 2000, the major department store Sogo went bankrupt. At the time, department stores were our main sales channel. Seeing my father worry about what would happen to the sales revenue from our accounts receivable, I realized that the artisans of the future would need to learn not just the craft, but also business management. That's why I decided to go to university."

After acquiring various skills in management and systems engineering, Yamamoto joined the family business. Following a rigorous apprenticeship, he was certified as a Traditional Craft Master (General Division) at the age of 35, the youngest at the time.

"The dream I wrote about in my junior high graduation essay had come true, and it was a deeply emotional moment. But my father had passed away from an illness just a month before the results were announced. I had to take over the family business, and amid the hectic work, I was overwhelmed with the question of how I was going to move forward."

Cherishing Tradition, Embracing Digitalization

To become a craftsman, Yamamoto studied business and information systems, eventually earning the title of Traditional Craftsman. The essence of his work lies in a unique collaboration between time-honored traditional techniques and modern technology.

One of the most challenging techniques in Koshu Inden is 'urushi-zuke,' the art of applying lacquer to deerskin. A paper stencil is placed on the specially prepared deerskin, and a spatula is then used to apply the lacquer, pulling it from front to back with even pressure to create exquisite patterns.

"If you don't apply enough pressure, the pattern becomes faint. But if you try to go over it again, the design gets ruined. So with urushi-zuke, there are no do-overs. I practiced relentlessly, sacrificing sleep to master the application of lacquer for over 100 different stencil patterns. It took me three years to become proficient."

And this is where Yamamoto's signature approach shines. He commissioned a local printing company to scan the paper stencils used for lacquering, turning them into digital data.

"The paper stencils wear out over time, so we have to order new ones. But since they're handmade by artisans, the new stencils are sometimes subtly different. By digitizing them, we can now create an identical stencil whenever we need one and also perfectly preserve the original patterns."

Furthermore, when he started creating Inden products featuring popular characters, he adapted and incorporated improved silkscreen stencils to accommodate a wider variety of beautiful designs. Today, he collaborates on products with over 100 companies, including famous brands and character franchises.

"Thanks in part to these collaborations, our customer base has expanded to a younger demographic, mainly people in their 30s and 40s. I believe it's crucial to cherish the traditions we've inherited while updating them with digital technology."

He develops business strategies and handles marketing, including social media. He also issues press releases and uses a system for inventory management. This is the modern face of a craftsman for a new era.

A Craftsman Who Plants Lacquer Trees: All for the Long-Term Survival of Koshu Inden

Yamamoto is also tackling his predecessor's long-held dream: sourcing raw materials domestically. He wondered if it was possible to create Koshu Inden using the hides of local deer, whose overpopulation has become a social issue due to crop damage.

"Most of our leather is imported from China, but international affairs can make it difficult to source. I wondered if we could help solve this problem by using the hides of deer culled within Japan. The supply of deerskin isn't infinite. A large manufacturer would need a huge volume, but a small company like ours can use just enough without disturbing the ecological balance. I felt like this was my calling."

However, using deer from Yamanashi Prefecture required getting consent from local hunters. On top of that, there were no tanners in Japan who could process domestic deerskin. By incorporating foreign tanning techniques, he spent 11 years developing 'URUSHINASHIKA,' a product line using deer from Yamanashi.

"It's a pure white product that makes the most of the deerskin's natural color. We use a biodegradable tanning agent, making it a sustainable product that returns to the soil when buried. I'm happy to say it has been incredibly popular, selling out almost instantly every time we release it."

He is also continuing his quest to establish a stable supply of domestic lacquer. For the past four years, he has been planting 100 lacquer tree saplings every year in the mountains of Hokuto City, Yamanashi.

"It takes 10 to 15 years for a lacquer tree to mature enough for tapping. I plan to plant 400 more trees over the next four years, by which time the first ones I planted will be ready. Once you tap a tree for its sap, it has to be cut down. So, I'm trying to create a sustainable cycle where we plant 100 new saplings and harvest 100 mature trees each year."

If this project becomes commercially viable, it can create jobs in planting and managing the lacquer trees. His own workshop, Inden no Yamamoto, needs the sap from about 20 trees annually. He hopes to sell the sap from the remaining 80 trees to cultural property restorers and other artisans facing lacquer shortages, allowing him to support other crafts as well.

"I'm involved in many different projects, but my overarching goal is to create a system within my lifetime that ensures Koshu Inden survives for future generations. We face challenges like a shortage of successors, but as a Traditional Craftsman, I am committed to doing everything I can to keep this craft alive."