Originating over four centuries ago in Koshu (Yamanashi Prefecture), Koshu INDEN is a traditional craft in which patterns are created on deerskin with lacquer. INDEN-YA was founded in 1582, and it was in the subsequent Edo period (1603-1868) that Uehara Yushichi, one of its early founding fathers, developed this unique technique. Ever since, the technique has been transmitted orally only to the heads of the family, who also inherited the Uehara Yushichi name. Even today, Japanese people's longstanding affinity for the power and beauty of nature still lives on. Fully embracing the sensitivities of cherished traditional crafts coupled with natural beauty, INDEN-YA continues to create products that speak to people's hearts.
Lacquering
One of the typical INDEN techniques involves the use of hand-cut stencils laid over dyed deerskin. This technique, which is key to producing INDEN's unique and alluring textures, is a family tradition that has been treasured for generations.
Deerskin
Light, tough, soft, and with a texture that is said to most resemble that of our own skin, this material becomes smoother to the touch the more it is used, and rewards the user with an enduring natural texture. The skins of wild deer are often blemished with antler scars, which are also cherished as natural patterns.
