Traditional craft
Koshu Suisho Kiseki Zaiku
甲州水晶貴石細工
Carved rock crystal, agate and jade from Kofu in Yamanashi, a craft born from crystal found in the Shosenkyo gorge 1,000 years ago.
Key facts
- Officially recognised
- 2 June 1976
- Type
- Gemstone crafts
- Region
- Chubu
- Official name in Japanese
- 甲州水晶貴石細工
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 甲府市、甲州市、甲斐市、西八代郡市川三郷町
No two alike
Koshu craftsmen carve rock crystal, agate, jade, obsidian and jasper into ornaments, accessories and even Buddha images. Most pieces follow the character of the natural stone, so no two are the same. Since the war almost all rough stone has come from abroad, from places like Africa, Brazil and Madagascar. It is made in Kofu, Koshu, Kai and Ichikawamisato in Yamanashi.
Five ways to carve stone
- The rough stone is shaped.
- It is carved on a spinning iron wheel using five techniques: openwork, raised relief, deep relief, line carving and flat carving.
- It is polished, a method first introduced with diamond-hard kongosha powder strewn on an iron plate.
Crystal in the gorge
About 1,000 years ago rock crystal was found deep in Google Maps 昇仙峡 (opens in a new tab), a gorge famed for its scenery. At first the raw crystals were prized as ornaments. By the mid-Edo period shrine priests were taking stones to Kyoto to be worked, and in the late Edo period jewel makers came to Kofu and introduced polishing with kongosha powder, which began the craft.
Good to know
- Pair a visit to Shosenkyo gorge with a look at Kofu's crystal work.
- Choose a piece for its natural pattern; each one is unique.
Questions travellers ask
Where did Koshu crystal come from?
Originally from Shosenkyo gorge; today most rough stone is imported.
What stones are used?
Rock crystal, agate, jade, obsidian and jasper.
Where it comes from
More crafts from the same area
Local foods from the same area
Heritage stories from the same area
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.