"Mashiko wind chime"
A collaboration between ``Doso Towada Kiln'' and ``FUURO Paper'' has created ``Mashiko Furin,'' a way to enjoy summer in Japan.
The Mashiko wind chime consists of a chock-shaped ``outer body'', a ``tongue'' (zetsu) that fluctuates with the wind and makes a sound by hitting the outer body, and a ``tanzaku'' that hangs from the tongue to catch the wind.
Doso Towada Kiln, a brand of Mashiko ware, produces the outer body and tongue, and FUURO Paper, which produces handmade Japanese paper, produces the strips.
[Exterior] Doso Towada kiln
Each piece is produced by a craftsman on a potter's wheel. We used red clay, which contains a lot of iron, and searched for a shape and size that would produce a high, clear sound.
Rather than applying glaze to the entire body, Mashiko clay mud was applied to the outer surface and fired to create a bright and fun tone.
The edges are accented with ``blue'' and ``yellow'' glazes.
[Tongue] Doso Towada Kiln
For the tongue, I stretched clay into a stick shape and made it into a triangular shape, aiming for a shape that would hit the outside of the body just the right amount without the large strip shaking.
Since the outer body and the tongue are made of the same material, they go well together and the sound that they make when they touch each other is clear.
[Tanzaku] FUURO paper
Fascinated by the depth of handmade techniques, I create handmade items.
By modifying natural fibers and other materials and reconstructing them while facing the material, I feel that it has the potential to go beyond just paper for writing.
One of the interesting things about handmade washi is that it can be made with different thick materials, even though it is paper.
When I was thinking of making paper from other natural materials, not just plant-based ones, I came across a piece of unglazed pottery in Mashiko Town.
By turning unglazed pottery into powder and pouring it into paper, a new material that is neither paper nor clay was created. As a finishing touch, the paper is impregnated with beeswax to create a water-repellent strip of paper.
-FUURO paper-
[About the product]
The parts that make up Mashiko wind chimes are handmade. Please note that there are individual differences between ceramics and Japanese paper.
Each wind chime has a different tone.
You can listen to each tone below.
Please enjoy the unique wind chime.
*Click the "Listen in browser" button to listen on this page.
Mashiko wind chime tone [chi]
Mashiko wind chime tone [ri]
Mashiko wind chime tone [nu]
Mashiko wind chime tone [ru]
The sound of Mashiko wind chimes
Mashiko wind chime tone [wa]