How are traditional Japanese umbrellas passed down for thousands of years?

Girl and traditional Japanese umbrella.

Filmmaker Lauren Shamo of Business Insider (USA), recently visited professional artist Kotaro Nishibori to ask about handmade Japanese umbrellas. For him, this is not only a craft but also a legacy of Japanese culture.

There are still craftsmen making traditional Japanese umbrellas today, but they are rare. Mr. Nishibori is one of the few craftsmen who can carry out the process of making a traditional Japanese umbrella from start to finish. He always followed the 1,200-year-old traditional method. 

These umbrellas are also works of art that can be sold for between 300 USD and 3,000 USD (equivalent to about 7 million VND to 70 million VND each).

In a short video produced by filmmaker Shamo, artist Nishibori introduces the audience to his umbrella-making process. Through the traditional umbrella art form, he connected the world with this Japanese legacy.

The process of making traditional Japanese umbrellas as described by the artist Nishibori 

The first step to making a Japanese umbrella is to collect natural bamboo. The bamboo slats must be polished and cut into thin strips, each about 2 to 3 mm thick. They are then sewn to the core of the wood with a needle (temoto rokuro) to form the basic frame of the umbrella. 

These bamboo strips are used to glue handmade paper (washi), the number of bamboo strips used depends on the type of umbrella. Take the Bangasa umbrella as an example, it has a total of 48 bamboo strips.

Once the basic frame is complete, the next step is to connect the bamboo strips together using a needle and thread. This is always an important step. If these bamboo strips are not evenly distributed, the umbrella will not open and close normally or will tear after a few uses.

Next, Mr. Nishibori will use his homemade glue to glue the washi paper to the bamboo strips and use a razor to cut off the excess. This is the step that requires the most precision. The washi paper must be glued in place and not misaligned. If misaligned, the glue will rise and become visible in the final product, making it very difficult to sell such an umbrella.

The glue needs to dry overnight. The next day, the umbrella was shaped, allowing it to open and close flexibly. After that, it is also necessary to stick a sheet of Japanese paper on the top of the umbrella. At this time, Mr. Nishibori only uses water, not glue.

One of the final steps involves painting the umbrella with a coat of linseed oil to help prevent water seepage. Before the final decorating step, the umbrellas need to be left to dry for at least 2 weeks.

Traditional umbrellas connect Japanese culture with the world

The traditional Japanese umbrella connects this country's culture with the world. (Photo: Piqsels)

Usually in Japan, umbrellas are carved by many artisans, each skilled in a particular process. This art form is also passed down in a family from generation to generation. Artisan Nishibori had the opportunity to enter this industry through his wife's family, which exposed him to a part of traditional Japanese culture.

Although he grew up in Japan, Mr. Nishibori learned English from his father as a child. After finishing high school in Japan, he moved to Canada.

He said: 'Many of my friends (in Canada) ask me about Japanese culture or Japanese history but I don't know about it, because I don't delve too deeply into Japanese history. I'm Japanese but I don't know about Japan.'

It was not until he returned to his hometown, met his wife, and started learning to make umbrellas that he found what he had been looking for. Mr. Nishibori learned how to make Japanese umbrellas thousands of years ago, then took over the running of the family business Hiyoshiya. Now, Hiyoshiya has a global customer base, which means that Mr. Nishibori can share his Japanese culture with the world.

Mr. Nishibori has been making traditional Japanese umbrellas for over 25 years, but he still needs to learn about this art form. Although he has led many other practitioners, he does not consider himself a 'master'.

'In the world of Japanese crafts, no one calls themselves 'master'… I think 'master' has a symbolic meaning. I can say that I am an artist, a professional craftsman,' Mr. Nishibori shared.