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Visirting Kobaien in Nara and Kyoto, Japan

January 17, 2022

If you wish to visit Kobaien, please be sure to be on time, respectaful, and follow the instructions of the staff.

If you are unable to make it, please be sure to contact us.

Kobaien, or any traditional Japanese industrial workshop, IS NOT a tourist attraction like the Disneyland, a museum, or a zoo.

It is a place where real craftsmen are painstakingly making valuables art works. Everybody have the utmost respect for the craftsmen and staff to support them at Kobaien.

( Photo and article ) Kobaien sumi ink sticks - an incredible 400-yr old tradition

The reason for the set tour times is to ensure that visitors disturb the craftsmen and people of Kobaien as little as possible.

Please be sure to be on time, respectable, and follow the instructions of the staff on site.

The headquarters of Kobaien is located in Nara. And there is a branch in Kyoto.

Kobaien Nara Headquarters

Kobaien's headquarters sells inksticks produced by Kobaien. No one is allowed to enter Kobaien's workshop or courtyard without permission or reservation.

Address:
Tsubaicho 7, Nara city, Nara, Japan
奈良県奈良市椿井町7
Office hours:
9:00am - 17:00 am ( Monday - Saturday)
Closed:
Saturday, Sunday and National holidays of Japan
Vegetarian Support in Nara
If you or your partner is a vegetarian, here's a vegan restaurant list of central Nara city.
https://vegewel.com/en/area/191
There's a big supermarket which sells fresh vegetables in the underground mall of JR Nara Station. You can purchase kitchen knife and plates ( if hotel doesn't provide them with you ) at a 1 dollar store at the 2nd floor of also JR Nara station.

The headquarters of kobaien is located in Nar

More Kobaien Photos

Kobaien Kyoto branch

Kobaien's Kyoto store sells Kobaien ink as well as high-quality paper, brushes, inkstones, and other calligraphy and painting supplies. This Kyoto store does not have an ink-making workshop.

Address:
Yohojimaecho 716-1, Nijonoboru, Teramachi-dori, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto city, Kyoto, Japan
京都市中京区寺町通二条上る要法寺前町716番地の1
Office hours:
9:00am - 17:30 am ( Monday - Saturday)
Closed:
Sunday and National holidays of Japan

Koubaien branch in Kyoto

** Please do not use the comments section of this blog to ask about tours of the Kobaien or the workshop. It may take us some time to find out, and we may not be able to meet your requested date and time.

Please contact us using this inquiry page.

2 comments

Feb 27, 2023

Ichi inc, Japan

Thank you very much for your comment on our blogpage.

We have never thought of that old native American people used ink dishes like ours! How interesting and wonderful!

As for the use of big brush, calligraphy performances combined with dance and costumes have also been popular these days in Japan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuNMYLZFVzg

Feb 27, 2023

James Bleess

I am amazed! I love these photographs of a place and still – instruments, far away. How much we do not know is revealed clearly. Function determines form. The ink dishes for instance. These are exactly like paint pallets used by early native American people ages ago. The Arizona desert occasionally gives one up. Their use was the same; mixing a medium to paint. Here it is ink. A wonderful lesson here. Time, form and function. The giant brushes are equally amazing. I would love to see such a brush, in the hand of an artisan, applying ink to paper.