A Treasured Creation

The process starts with a single sheet of metal. By hammering it becomes a beautiful saucepan form. Toshikazu Himeno, age 58, is the artisan who inherited the technique in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The more it's pounded, the harder it is forged, and the pan will last over 50 years. The pan has supported the Japanese rich culinary culture. However, Himeno is the last surviving artisan of this pan. Will he be able to pass on his skills to the next generation? How can he continue to meet dedicated users' needs? Every day alone, he continues hammering 40,000 times. We'll focus on his untiring spirit as an artisan.

Senko Hanabi is a thing that reminds us of summer since the Edo period in Japan. Ryota Tsutsui has preserved the tradition of orange sparks for 25 years as a Senko Hanabi craftsman. However, the tradition is fading away while the domestic fireworks market shrinks and Chinese fireworks are emerging. Only 2 companies have survived in Japan now. Tsutsui has been passionate about expressing our lives within sparks by creating a big flame that contains 4 different sparks, inspired by poetic structure that divides into 4 stages of Introduction, Development, Twist, and Conclusion. He has studied compounding gunpowder and repeated twisting sensitive washi papers numerous times until dawn every day to achieve his goal. Working closely with his wife, Kyoko, his journey to discover the new demand by creating Senko Hanabi filled with all Japanese traditional goodness continues. This is a tale of people who devote their life to preserve these beautiful and fleeting sparks.

In the over 600-year old form of classical Japanese theater called Noh, wooden masks are worn by the performers. These masks have been made by wood carvers who lived and worked with the performer to create masks specific to each role. At age 52, Hideta Kitazawa is one of the few remaining artisans carrying on this tradition. While using a multitude of chisels to carve masks from blocks of cypress, he shares his thoughts on how these inanimate materials are brought to life and imbued with various emotions.

Suzuka region produces high-quality sumi ink. Kido Ito (55), an expert artisan who's made a million inksticks. A simple process, yet requires experienced judgment; depending on the weather, it can easily crack. Although this craft was dedicated to Japanese culture over a thousand years, many documents and arts have been preserved. However, the number of artisans has decreased since the transition into a digital era. "If I make it against nature, it loses the value" says Ito. This documentary showcases his skill and way of life while he strives for the ultimate black.