Gold leaf artisan Kenichi TERAMOTO, KANAZAWA EXPERT #10

KANAZAWA EXPERT” is a project to introduce artists, craftsmen, and other professionals in Kanazawa, a city with a long history of culture, who are sharing their traditional skills and Kanazawa's history and culture with visitors. We will ask these people, who are also guides with a thorough knowledge of Kanazawa, about experiences that can only be had here and ways to enjoy Kanazawa.


This time, we talked to Kenichi TERAMOTO, a craftsman at “Gold Leaf Sakuda,” which has a history of more than 100 years and produces beautifully detailed gold leaf and many other gold-plated products.

Gold leaf artisan Kenichi TERAMOTO, KANAZAWA EXPERT #10

Enchanted by the eternal brilliance that will never decay

What are the charms and characteristics of Kanazawa foil?


Kanazawa foil is the general term for gold, brass, copper, and silver foils produced in Kanazawa. Gold leaf uses an alloy of pure gold with trace amounts of silver and copper, and it is the craftsman's skill to spread it evenly to a thickness of about 1/10,000th of a millimeter (the size of a 10-yen coin is as large as four to five tatami mats) without losing the brilliance of the alloy. Kanazawa's humid climate is ideal for producing gold leaf, and the city is blessed with excellent water quality, which has allowed the production of Kanazawa gold leaf to flourish.


The charm of gold leaf is its eternal luster that never fades, and gold leaf beaten to 1/10,000th of a millimeter is flexible enough to fit into any object, which I believe has led to the creation of numerous crafts and products.


What kind of career have you had, Mr. TERAMOTO?


I was born and raised in Higashiyama, Kanazawa. After graduating from an industrial high school, I worked for several years at an ironworks. After that, I knocked on the door of “Gold Leaf Sakuda” to become a gold leaf craftsman, and spent 10 years learning the art of gold leaf making. Currently, I am mainly in charge of product manufacturing, and I also accept custom-made orders and apply gold leaf to them, as well as decorating shrines. Since gold leaf is a material, I can attach it to anything that has a shape, and I enjoy the challenge of creating a variety of things.

Conveying the fun of gold leaf, which changes its expression depending on the way it is applied.

Please tell us about the attraction and key points of the gold leaf pasting experience.


It was around 1995 when “Gold Leaf Sakuda” started the gold leaf pasting experience. The current president wanted to “let local children learn about gold leaf and other traditional crafts of Ishikawa,” so he started the experience of applying gold leaf to chopsticks and sake cups. At that time, we wanted to make the experience easy, so we offered it for a single coin (500 yen).


Currently, the experience of applying gold leaf to chopsticks as well as small boxes such as miniature cherry blossom boxes, small square boxes, and small plum boxes is very popular. Before the experience, we explain the process of making gold leaf, and when people actually touch the thinness of the gold leaf, they are again surprised at how thin it is. The charm of gold leaf is that even when applied to the same object, the texture of the gold leaf is exquisitely different. I try to convey to them the fascination of gold leaf, which changes its appearance depending on the way it is applied. It is a great pleasure to see that even those who were not so enthusiastic at the beginning are satisfied with their experience by the end of it. At the main store, visitors can also tour the gold leaf production process, enjoy shopping at the gold leaf craft store, and see various folding screens at the gold leaf mini-museum.



Enjoy strolling through the maze of Higashi Chaya District

What are the attractions of Kanazawa and what spots do you recommend?


Higashi Chaya District, a famous sightseeing spot, is my hometown. I used to run around there as a child. There are many narrow alleys that are like a maze, and there are also many temples, so I recommend walking around in various places.


What does Kanazawa mean to you?


It may be an exaggeration, but I guess it is a part of myself. When I was a child, I remember taking delivery of food at Jiyuken, a popular Western-style restaurant in Higashi Chaya District, and playing in the iris garden at Utatsuyama. As a side note, the wedding ceremony was held at Utasu Jinja Shrine in Higashiyama district, and the reception at Yamanoo, a ryotei restaurant also in Higashiyama. Kanazawa is my hometown, and it is inseparable from my life.


Kenichi TERAMOTO, Production Department, Sakuda Gold Leaf Shop

Born in Higashiyama, Kanazawa in 1969. After graduating from an industrial high school, he worked at an ironworks in Kanazawa City before taking the plunge and joining “Gold and Silver Leaf Craft Sakuda Co". After studying foiling for about 10 years, he worked as a foil applicator and is now mainly responsible for product manufacturing. In addition to applying gold leaf to Ishikawa Prefecture's tourism PR mascot character “Hyakuman-san,” he has also worked throughout Japan and abroad (New York, London, Paris, Sydney, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, etc.) to promote Kanazawa City.


  • Gold Leaf Sakuda Main Store

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