Tokyo Tebori Insho (hand-carved Seals) are made using traditional techniques that have been passed down since the Edo period. Every step, from designing the characters to carving, is done by hand by skilled craftsmen. They are characterized by their exquisite carvings that cannot be replicated by machines. In February of the first year of the Kan'ei era (1624), seal engravers (inbanshi) moved from Kyoto to Edo, and a production center was established in Edo.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. An ink draft is the process of sketching the characters to be engraved on paper, anticipating the final impression of the seal.

  2. Inscription involves writing the characters to be engraved onto the seal material in reverse using a brush, based on the design.

  3. Rough carving involves using a carving knife to carve down the areas other than the characters to a uniform depth, while the seal material is held in place by being sandwiched between a seal carving stand and a rolled bamboo.

  4. For the finishing touches, use a finishing chisel to refine the outline and the area around the characters, paying attention to the thickness of the characters and the beginning and end of each stroke, so that the line quality can be expressed delicately.

   

  raw materials

  The seal material shall be boxwood, buffalo horn, or a material of equivalent quality.