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 When strolling in Kyoto, you are often fascinated by the elegancy of the kawara-roofed houses. Quiet and gracious kawaras have long been solid materials for roofing them. Shrines and temples roofed with gorgeous Kyo-Gawaras abound in Kyoto. The geological circumstances made it possible: Kyoto valley is rich of good quality of soil for kawaras. Masahisa Asada is a third generation of Asada Kawara Plant's family. They have been molding Kyo-Gawaras in Fushimi since the days of Taisho emperor( 1912-1926).Masahisa succeeds to traditional technique of Kyo-Gawaras, at the same time, always challenges for new development on Kyo-Gawaras. |
The so-called Daruma kiln was used to smoke kawaras, originating in the 16th century. On its both sides are the firing entrances, next, combustion rooms, and in the central part of it baking rooms, where raw kawaras are piled up for burning. |
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 During Showa 40th years, During 1965's the pine trees and pine leaves were in short supply and daruma kilns were out of use all around Japan. As for Asada Kawara Plant, from their start, -from the end of the Meiji period in 1868 ,until October, in 1983 daruma kilns were popular as a production instrument. At the present time Gas is used for the kiln. However, kawaras have still been made with hands, one by one, keeping the transition. This is the essence of Asada's craftsmanship. Kawaras and kawara tiles are now a kind of plastic art. |
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| A Light touch and deep luster is a characteristic of Kyo-Gawara. Just polishing and polishing with a steel pallet draws out this brilliant surface of the product. | |||||
| In the repeated process of polishing, a cluster of clay gradually deepens its color. It is getting whiter and whiter. Craftsman Asada moves his hands skillfully on raw kawaras a number of times with different type of pallets, until he satisfies himself. In so doing, he tries to find the chance of his finish, just like determined to draw a clear line between his man-made products and other industrial mass products. Craftsman Asada, a third generation of Asada Kawara Plant, explains: Kyo-Gawaras feature the difference in size, in the ratio of length and width than that of products in other areas. They are thicker than products from other sources of Kawaras. Thicker kawaras require more attention in the process of production, but I treasure the ratio we have adhered to, It is an inherited pledge on the brand Kyo-Gawara. The ratio I have adoptwd is what my ancestors think from long experiences that it is the best to take, Looked up at the house roofed with Kyo-Gawaras, it really appears to be the most beautiful. Kyo-Gawara keeps an incredible beauty in its dimension. |
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