The origins of MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars) date back to the mid-Edo period. It is said that it began when Buddhist altar makers used high-quality pine, cedar, and cypress wood obtained by using the Yahagi River water transport, along with lacquer collected at the foot of Mt. Sarunage in northern Mikawa, to create Buddhist altars.
Subsequently, the number of people making Buddhist altars increased not only in Okazaki City but also in the Mikawa region, and the current production area of MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars) was formed.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. The structure of the "wooden base" is assembled using "mortise and tenon joints".

  2. The lintels shall be of the "undulating lintel," "helmet lintel," or "through lintel" type.

  3. The shoji screens shall be of the following types: "Koshitsuki Hanako shoji," "Toshi Koshitsuki shoji," "Katashira shoji," or "Toshi shoji."

  4. Palace construction should be based on the "hijiki-masugumi" (bracket and square bracket) method.

  5. The painting shall be done by hand using refined lacquer, and in the case of "wood grain painting," a "roiro finish" shall be applied.

  6. Apply maki-e (lacquerware with gold or silver powder) and gold leaf.

   

  raw materials

  1. The wood used shall be cypress, zelkova, Japanese white pine, magnolia, yew, or sen wood, or timber of equivalent quality.

  2. The metal fittings shall be made of copper, a copper alloy, or a metal of equivalent material.

  ３ 漆は、天然漆とすること。

• Work scene

  Work scene

  The process of making a Buddhist altar can be broadly divided into eight stages: woodworking, palace construction, carving, painting, metalwork, maki-e (gold lacquer), haku-oshi (gold leaf application), and assembly. Each of these stages is handled by eight specialized craftsmen known as the "eight craftsmen." Each Buddhist altar is a collaborative work of highly skilled artisans.

  Step 1: Wood preparation

  The wood, such as cypress, is cut and the interior and exterior parts of the Buddhist altar are created and temporarily assembled. The wooden base consists of nearly 30 parts, and all of these parts are joined using mortise and tenon joints. Mortise and tenon joints are a method of joining and fastening pieces of wood together, making it possible to disassemble and repair the altar. In the construction of the wooden base, a technique unique to MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars) called "hagi-tsuki processing" is used. In this method, glue is applied to the base wood, the joined boards are attached, then wrapped with rough rope and held over charcoal fire to tighten and bond them together.

  

  Step 2: Palace Construction

  The roof and pillars of the palace inside the Buddhist altar, as well as the platform on which the Buddha statue is placed, are made and temporarily assembled. The palace is divided into four styles depending on the Buddhist sect: "ornate style," "temple style palace," "palace-style monk style," and "Zen sect masu-gumi style." The luxury of the palaces in MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars) is among the best in the country.

  

  工程3： 彫刻

  Carvings are made according to the composition, depicting flowers, birds, dragons, arabesque patterns, celestial beings, and more. Naturally dried wood such as cypress and red pine is used for the carvings. The carvings are applied to parts such as the "undulating nagashi" (horizontal beam), which is a characteristic of MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars), the interior of the palace, and the shoji screens. A unique feature of MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars) is the "Hanako-bori," a carving of a flower pattern, placed in the center of the shoji screen.

  

  Step 4: Painting

  After applying a base coat of polishing powder and letting it dry repeatedly, water is added and the surface is polished with a whetstone to create the base. For painting, lacquer is applied with a brush, dried, and then polished with Suruga charcoal, repeating this process to finish the piece. "Hakuoshi urushi" is used for the parts to be covered with gold leaf, "Roiro urushi" for the roiro parts, and "Nuritate urushi" for the glossy finish parts. Roiro is a technique where the lacquer is polished with Suruga charcoal to give it a glossy finish, and this is handled by specialized craftsmen called roiro masters.

  

  Step 5: Making decorative metal fittings

  Following the design, metal fittings that adorn various parts of the Buddhist altar are created by using chisels and hammers to raise or remove carved patterns. Decorative metal fittings are divided into "inner fittings" and "outer fittings" depending on where they are used, and each is handled by a specialized craftsman. A distinctive feature of MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars) is the use of the "embossing technique" to give a three-dimensional effect to "kebori fittings," which are flat decorative fittings such as door stops within the inner fittings.

  画像をクリックすると動画が再生されます

  Step 6: Makie (lacquerware decoration)

  After applying paint, gold and silver powder are used to create designs. There are several types of maki-e, including "mud-relief maki-e," "flat maki-e," "gold leaf under-maki-e," and "gold powder sprinkling." Mud-relief maki-e, in particular, involves raising maki-e mud with a brush based on an underdrawing to give the design a three-dimensional effect, and is a technique that requires a high level of skill.

  

  Step 7: Foil stamping

  Gold leaf is applied over the painted surface. First, a layer of lacquer is applied evenly, then the lacquer is wiped off with cotton, and the gold leaf is pressed onto the surface using gold leaf chopsticks. After that, the excess gold leaf is brushed off with soft cotton.

  画像をクリックすると動画が再生されます

  工程8： 組立

  The parts, each made by a specialist, are assembled. First, the decorative metal fittings are attached, then the palace, body, and interior are assembled. After attaching each part and wiping it down with a cloth, a thorough check is performed before the piece is complete.

  

   

• Close-up

  Close-up

  Creating delicate and ornate carvings for Buddhist altars

  MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars) are made through a division of labor among eight specialized crafts, known as the "eight craftsmen." Among them, the carving is the responsibility of the sculptor, who is required to have both technical skill and a high degree of originality. The exquisite detail of the carvings is one of the characteristics of MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars), and we interviewed Mr. Isamu Otake, who has been working as a sculptor for many years, about the work of carving Buddhist altars.

   

  It took ten years to finally get people to buy it.

  "Just a few days ago, I happened to come across some old sketches," he said, showing me a red-covered sketchbook that Mr. Otake used when he first apprenticed with his master at the age of 16. Inside, there was a page with a series of swirling patterns drawn side by side. It was the first swirling cloud he carved after starting his apprenticeship. "Ah, so this is what I did," he thought. While practicing with clouds, chrysanthemums, and delicate arabesque patterns, he often cut his fingers. He said that the carving tools once pierced his palm, and he still feels numb there. "When you get better at sharpening and your tools become sharper, injuries decrease." In the world of woodcarving, it has long been said that you need to apprentice for five years, and only after ten years can you finally create something that Buddhist altar shops will buy.

  

  Mr. Otake is sculpting. Approximately 20 carving tools are lined up on his workbench.

  Luxury born from size constraints

  In the Mikawa region, it is customary to place the Buddhist altar inside the closet. This is said to be because sericulture was once thriving in the area, and silkworms were raised indoors, with firewood being burned. The purpose was to prevent the altar from becoming soiled with soot. A standard closet in this region is the size of two tatami mats horizontally, with the altar in the middle and a chest of drawers for husbands and wives on either side. The standard size of MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars), 5 feet 8 inches (approximately 175 cm) in height and 3 feet 7 inches (approximately 112 cm) in width, was developed for the practical reason of fitting it well into this space. Many of the characteristics of MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars) stem from the challenge of creating a luxurious altar within these constraints. These include a low base and a large main body of the altar, a "undulating nagashi" (a type of horizontal beam) with the middle curved upwards to allow a better view of the luxurious palace inside, and "Hanako shoji" (paper screens with floral carvings in the middle). The Mikawa region is known for its deep religious faith, and the splendor of MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars) is said to be a reflection of this strong faith, a desire to recreate the opulent inner sanctuaries of the region's temples within one's own home.

  

  The celestial beings carved by Mr. Otake. He aims to create something that looks fragile yet is strong.

  I visit temples in Kyoto and Nara every year.

  "The carvings are in prominent places," says Mr. Otake. Indeed, the carvings are noticeable, such as those on the lintel above the front of the Buddhist altar and on the Hanako shoji screens. The exquisite craftsmanship of the carvings is a factor that gives MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars) an impression of luxury, and the quality of the carvings carries significant weight when customers choose an altar. When he received a call from a Buddhist altar shop saying that a customer had bought one because they liked the carvings, out of several similar altars on display, he was happy, but at the same time, it made him realize that he needed to study even harder. The work of a carver demands originality. "Even with clouds, there are clouds when there is no wind, clouds that drift, clouds during a storm, they are all different. Each person's individuality comes through." Visiting temples in Kyoto and Nara with his camera and video camera is an annual tradition. He says it is a job that cannot be done without continuous research.

  

  The first cloud drawing I carved after becoming an apprentice at the age of 16.

  Creating something that connects hearts.

  Mr. Otake owns approximately 100 carving tools. He uses different tools depending on the type of wood and what he is carving. The ones he uses frequently have handles that are completely black and reinforced with vinyl tape. When a tool becomes unusable, he makes a mold of the blade in wood and orders a replacement from a blacksmith in Tokyo or Ise. Mr. Otake says that the works he carves with these tools are delicate and intricate, yet they are strong despite appearing fragile. He also says that he carves not only with the finished product in mind, but also with the ease of work for those who will be applying the paint and gold leaf in subsequent stages. This kind of consideration is especially important because Buddhist altars are made by combining parts created by eight different craftsmen. Mr. Otake's words, "Since we are making something that people will pray to, I want to make something that connects with people's hearts, not just something that is made," seemed to encapsulate the work of a Buddhist altar craftsman.

  

  Mr. Otake owns approximately 100 carving tools, which he orders from specialty shops in Tokyo and other locations.

  Craftsman Profile

  Isamu Otake

  Born in 1943 (Showa 18). After graduating from junior high school, he became an apprentice to a master at the age of 16, and has been active as a tattoo artist for over 40 years since then, while also serving as the vice chairman of the association.

  

  Isamu Otake. He says he never misses visiting temples and shrines in Kyoto and Nara every year.

  Anecdotes

  Making portable shrines using traditional techniques

   

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    The portable shrine of MIKAWA Butsudan (Household Buddhist Altars) Youth Association awaits its turn.

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    The Okazaki Summer Festival fireworks display is one of the largest in Japan, held every year on the first Saturday of August.