NARA Sumi (Inksticks) is ink produced in Nara City, Nara Prefecture. It is said to have originated in Asuka, and even after the capital moved to Kyoto, the workshops producing ink necessary for copying scriptures and studying remained in Nara because of the many temples and shrines that were located there. Oil soot ink, said to have been made by collecting soot from the lamps of the Nitaibo temple of Kofuku-ji in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, gained a reputation as high-quality "NARA Sumi (Inksticks)," and this long tradition has been maintained to this day.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. The finishing touch for "Sumidama" is to massage the feet followed by massaging the hands.

  2. Molding shall be done by "molding using a wooden mold," "molding using loofah skin, etc.," or "molding by hand."

  3. Drying should be done by "wood ash drying" followed by natural drying.

  4. The finishing process shall be either "raw finish" or "sharpened finish".

   

  raw materials

  1. Soot shall be obtained from pine soot or from rapeseed oil, sesame oil, camellia oil, tung oil, coconut oil, or oils of equivalent quality.

  2. The glue shall be bovine glue or an extract obtained by boiling the hides or bones of other animals, or a material of equivalent quality.

  3. The fragrance shall be made of borneol or a material of equivalent quality.