Koshigaya Katchu is a traditional technique from Koshigaya City, Saitama Prefecture, for making the miniature armor and helmets of Gogatsu Ningyo displayed for Boys' Day (Tango no Sekku). Its distinctive feature is combining several craft techniques passed down since the Edo period, metalworking, lacquerwork, leather craft, and braided cord, into a single suit of armor, resulting in vivid colors and a dignified, stately look. Craftsmen known as 'katchushi' apply specialized skills to each part, such as the helmet bowl, the fukikaeshi (turned-back brim), and the odoshi (lacing) of the armor, and because everything is finished by hand, the doll maker's skill determines the quality of the finished piece. Workshops in Koshigaya City, led by Katchu Kobo Asahina, founded in 1959, have been central to passing down the technique, and in 1996 (Heisei 8) it was designated a Saitama Prefecture-designated Traditional Handicraft as 'Koshigaya Katchu.' Armor with designs inspired by Sengoku-era warlords is also popular, and demand continues today for Boys' Day gifts.
Origin
'Ko' refers to armor and 'chu' to a helmet; Koshigaya Katchu began when craftsmen who had inherited the skills of Edo armor makers started making armor and helmets for Boys' Day displays in Koshigaya, following the custom of displaying them alongside warrior dolls to pray for boys' healthy growth. The way several traditional techniques, metalworking, lacquerwork, leather craft, and braided cord, are combined in the making shows the lingering influence of Edo's samurai culture.
History
In Koshigaya City, workshops such as Katchu Kobo Asahina, founded in 1959, have continued making armor for festival dolls, and the practice of bringing together craftsmanship from fields such as metalworking, lacquerwork, leather, and braided cord took root locally. This accumulated skill was recognized, and in 1996 (Heisei 8) it was designated a Saitama Prefecture-designated Traditional Handicraft as 'Koshigaya Katchu.'
Features
Its greatest feature is that it is a composite craft, combining several craft techniques passed down from the Edo period, metalworking, lacquerwork, leather craft, and braided cord, into a single suit of armor. Specialized craftsmanship is applied to each part, such as the helmet bowl, the fukikaeshi, and the odoshi lacing, resulting in a finish with vivid colors and dignified stateliness. In recent years, armor with designs inspired by Sengoku-era warlords has also become popular, chosen as gifts for Boys' Day.
Artisans & Workshops
甲冑工房朝比奈
Founded in 1959, this Koshigaya Katchu workshop is located in Shinkawa-cho, Koshigaya City. While carrying on traditional techniques, it also creates festival displays with contemporary designs.
Official site →How to Buy
- 甲冑工房朝比奈
- Armor and helmets for Gogatsu Ningyo made by a Koshigaya armor workshop, offering everything from fully traditional craftsmanship to contemporary designs.Where to buy →PR