Crafts
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Umoregi-zaiku (Bogwood Carvings)
Umoregi means fossilized plant from the pre-medieval times which once grew widely on earth but later lay buried in the ground. It was found a lot in the areas of Aobayama and Yagiyama and now serves as a unique material for crafts in the nation. With its beautiful grain and graceful luster attained by buffing using coated lacquer, this blackish brown Umoregi becomes a high-grade product. Therefore, Umoregi products have a look that no other wooden product may attain. Brooches and small dishes are the most popular items to be made from this material.
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Kokeshi (Wooden Japanese doll)
Kokeshi is a kind of local toy beloved by all people throughout Japan. Distinctive features of Kokeshi vary depending on the region and craftsman, although Sakunami-style is the most common. The Kokeshi of Sakunami-style has a somewhat slender body that a child can easily grip which is covered with chrysanthemum patterns and they always have gentle looking eyes. A unique devise that kokeshi have is a pedestal at the bottom to make it hard for them to fall over.
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Sendai-tansu (Chest of Drawers)
What makes Sendai-tansu masterful is its "Kijiro-nuri" coating method making the best use of the grain of the Zelkova tree and its strong embossing and engraving of iron metal parts. It was used to store Tachi (long swords) or clothing and could be used as a safe. Although Sendai-tansu for clothing can be large and expensive, small but profoundly elegant portable ones are also available. Sendai-tansu of these kind glitter with traditional art work of excellence which deserves lifelong use. The tradition is still kept by several craftsmen and the contrast they create between durability and elegance in their work is enchanting to many people.
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Sendai-Tsuishu (Lacquer Ware)
This wooden lacquer ware is called Toka-Tsuishu. It is made in a manner to produce a blend of multi-layered lacquer, which is then used to form a compressed foundation by molding a wood-carved intaglio. The intaglio is then coated with vermillion lacquer at least one hundred times, upon which landscape, flowers, birds or people are carved in relief to complete the Tsuishu. Popular items in the old days were trays and pillboxes, but now they produce a variety of Tsuishu such as high-toned cases for small articles, inkstone cases, and ashtrays. Each item has a touch of high quality and is very useful so that Tsuishu maintains its reputation as a long-beloved traditional art work.
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Sendai-Hariko (Papier-Marche)
The affluent colors and simple shape of the Sendai-Hariko gives gentle warmth and gives it a natural grace. This is a kind of toy made from molded and colored paper and the most common item is the Matsukawa Daruma (tumbler). The daruma is colored ultramarine around its face and the body, in strong relief, is decorated with a treasure ship, palm tree flowers, the god of wealth and so on. They are all painted in gaudy colors. This Daruma is distinctive as it uses real hair to make its eyebrows and is a long-beloved item as a mascot, or a bringer of good luck. Other lovely Hariko such as various kinds of masks, tigers, cows carrying straw ricebags, and horses are also popular.
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Sendai-Hira (Textiles)
Sendai-Hira is also known as Seiko-Hira due to the use of thick and dense hand woven silk. This fine-textured fabric like Shiose fabric or Kohaku fabric is crease-resistant and durable which makes Sendai-Hira famous nation-wide for its high quality and use in Hakama (a Japanese skirt for formal wear). For weaving, only thick refined thread is used and only for the striped parts of warp as well as other warps and woofs, raw silk thread is used. They are dyed, moistened and then woven. Recent new items include various kinds of neck ties, wallets, purses, and cigarette cases which make us feel closer to the good quality of Sendao-Hira.
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Tamamushi-nuri (Lacquer Ware)
This lacquer ware originates from the beginning of the Showa Period (20's-30's) and is a product of high quality which is durable. After a base coating with lacquer, it is made in a manner of sprinkling silver powder and lacquer over it 10 times, or in special cases 40-50 times. The origin of the name Tamamushi comes from the fact that it glitters just like a Tamamushi (jewel beetle) and also because it changes color and luster slightly under reflected light. Brilliant silver powder and glossy madder red with a tint of transparency produce serenity in its elegance. This lacquer ware enjoys a good reputation domesticly and overseas. The items include such things as brush boxes, flower vases, and for reasonably priced souvenirs, brooches and hairgrips are available.
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Tsutsumi-ningyo, Tsutsumi-yaki (Clay Doll, Earthenware): ／The tradition was born in Tsutsumi-machi which has an abundance of quality clay
Tsutsumi-yaki was started with pottery using Chinese clay obtained in the area between the northern part of Sendai Tsutsumi-machi and the western part of Sugiyama-dai (Now called Dainohara). The first kiln was built in 1694 and the Hariu family who engaged in pottery for generations was patronaged by the Sendai-han (domain). Tsutsumi-yaki is a historically traditional pottery succeeding the Kanzan-style and also called "Sugiyama-yaki". The items produced include artistically graceful vases. Tsutsumi-ningyo (a painted local clay doll) supposedly based on skills in Tsutsumi-yaki, is one of the greatest of all and equal to the Fushimi-ningyo of Kyoto. Vivid coloring with rich pigments gives it its characteristic and now the popular items include Hina-ningyo (dolls displayed at the Girls' Festival) and No (drama) masks, all made based on tradition incorporating modern sense and famous for its unsophisticated figure.
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Hagi-fude (Brush)
Ever since the opening of Sendai by Lord Date Masamune, Hagi-fude became a model product to promote learning and industry. The brushholder is made of Miyagino-hagi (Japanese bush clover), a symbolic flower of Miyagi-ken and Hagi-fude, a kind of Sendai-ofude which has a rustic beauty and elegance to it.
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