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From the Bench Blog

Spoon Soup - my day with Norio Tamagawa

10/1/2018

8 Comments

 
Picture
As a person who spends much of her life obsessed with mokume gane, it has long been a dream of mine to meet Norio Tamagawa - living treasure of Japan and by far the top mokume gane artist in the world. Mr. Tamagawa taught Hiroko Sato-Pijanowski about mokume back in the 1970's (she subsequently brought her knowledge to art schools across the US). I recently returned from my first visit to Japan, and while there I had the honor of spending a few hours in his studio.
Here's just a little background so all can begin to understand how amazing he is: Mr. Tamagawa lives in Tsubame, a small city in Niigata prefecture that has been the center of metalwork production in Japan since the 1600's - they make everything from nails to scissors to copper teakettles. After working 50 years for his family company Gyokusendo, he retired about a decade ago to work on his own art vessels. He fuses his own mokume, spring-hammers the billets into 12-16" 3mm thick discs, then raises the 3mm discs by hand. At age 76, he still makes about three of these vessels a year.
We drank tea, shared the worry of there being only one rokusho maker left in the world, polished and patinated spoons, exchanged gifts, and watched an amazing video about his life "Tankin: the art of Tamagawa Norio." The day would not have been possible without the help of a superb local guide and translator named Yasushi Kawakami. Look him up if you head to the Tsubame-Sanjo area, he's great! Photographs by the fabulous and patient Ame Stanko, who was by my side the whole time recording the event and making sure I didn't do anything too foolish.
Ame and I left feeling in awe of Mr. Tamagawa and his wife Keiko - they are generous, gracious and fun-loving souls. Many thanks to them for extending their hospitality and putting up with us bumbling around in their beautiful house and workshop. Lots more info about the day in the photo captions.

8 Comments
Debra Hirschy
10/2/2018 06:03:34 pm

What a fantastic adventure! The teacher becomes the student once more. Thank you for sharing this with me. You know I am envious of a trip to Japan.
Hugs

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Leslie
10/2/2018 06:10:52 pm

Amazing--great pics! :)

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Ame
10/2/2018 10:37:11 pm

What a fantastic opportunity...and so much fun!

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Jim Binnion link
10/2/2018 11:17:27 pm

Norio and Keiko are very warm and generous people. I’m so glad you had this experience, I know how much it means.

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Lyn Glazzard link
10/3/2018 02:24:28 am

This is wonderful and thank you so much for sharing your adventures. It is very inspiring to me and I think I need to plan another trip to Japan although I wouldn’t be visiting Tamagawa san. I think I need to be braver

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Cheryl Cohen
10/3/2018 05:46:01 am

Oh, Anne! What a wonderful record of a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Thanks for sharing it with the rest of us!

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andreu de la viuda
10/26/2018 07:29:47 am

I would like to thank you for discovering that there is a video where I can see Norio Tamagawa working, I would like to know how I can see it, if you could help me I would appreciate it very much. Just a few months ago I embarked on the world of mokume gane and silverware to make my final project, and I have fallen in love with all this, taking a lot of my thoughts and my time.


Un saludo!

Reply
Gonzalo Sainz-Trapaga
2/15/2019 08:25:17 am

Hello!
I am very pleased to have just found your tale of a visit to this great smith and photographs, beautiful!, thank you very much for sharing.
Greatings from Germany
Gonzalo

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    Anne Wolf

    Educator, metalsmith, jeweler, maker of custom mokume gane metalwork.

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  • Home
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