Kobaien Sumi Ink Stick Shop by Ichi Inc., Japan 日本Ichi公司 古梅园 墨条 古梅園 墨條

Kobaien Inkstick making Online Tour

01 Soot gathering

Kobaien artisans pour pure vegetable oil into earthenware with a cover. It has a wick made from rush in it then put on fire. They collect the soot that forms on the inside of the seat. They have to tum a round the earthenware every 20 minutes not to unbalance the soot.

Kobaien Inkstick making Online Tour

02 Dissolving gelatin ( glue)

They put fine natural gelatin gradually dissolve it in 70℃ hot water in copper pot called Tampo which is 30cm deep.

Kobaien Inkstick making Online Tour

03 Kneading

Then Kobaien artisans carefully mix the main ingredients, soot and gelatin, in a ratio of 100 to 60. When it begins to shine black, some fragrances are added. Kneading is also very important process in determining the quality of an inkstick.

Kobaien Inkstick making Online Tour

04 Molding

The artisans place a well-kneaded sumi ink dough into a mold made of pear trees, on which the designs or characters of the inksticks are engraved. About 25g of sumi ink dough is put into a wooden mold to make a 15g block of sumi inkstick. This is because the ink dough shrinks as it dries.

Kobaien Inkstick making Online Tour

05 Ash drying

On the first day, the sumi inksticks are taken out of the wooden mold and placed in damp ashes. After the second day, the artisans gradually replace the ashes with less moist ones day by day to dehydrate the sumi inksticks. This process takes about a week for a small piece and about 30 to 40 days for a large piece.

Kobaien Inkstick making Online Tour

06 Drying

After the ash drying process, about 70% of the moisture has been removed from the sumi inksticks. They are then hung on straw and dried in-house. This process usually takes one to six months.

Kobaien Inkstick making Online Tour

07 Polishing

Now the artisans carefully remove any ash or dust from the inksticks. For some inksticks, they create a glaze layer by applying a glaze to the surface of an inkstick body and firing it, then polishing the surface with a bowl to make it shiny.

Kobaien Inkstick making Online Tour

08 Coloring

The surfaces of some inksticks are painted with gold powder, silver powder and pigment. This process makes the uniquely shaped pattern of sumi appear bright and sharp.