Koji
The Story
Takaoka in Toyama Prefecture is a town with 400 years of tradition, and a wealth of cutting-edge casting technology. The term “casting” refers to the process of pouring molten metal into a mold and cooling it to produce the desired shape. Over time Takaoka became responsible for 95% of Japan’s copper production.
In 1950, Takejiro Orii founded Orii Coloring Co., Ltd., which inherited the traditional techniques of the region and has been engaged in the coloring of various castings, including Buddhist statues, Buddhist bells, tea utensils, and arts and crafts.
Third generation headmaster Koji adapted old techniques to suit modern tastes. He worked for an IT company in Tokyo after graduating from university. But with the collapse of Japan’s bubble economy, he returned to his hometown at the age of 26 to take over the family business. He found that traditional arts and crafts were well in decline, and founded Momentum Factory Orii as way to help these craftsmen sell their wares.
Along the way, Koji decided to move away from traditional copper casting, in pursuit of a thinner material. He used a rolling machine to stretch the copper sheet into a single piece of metal less than one millimeter thick, which once fired, could produce thousands of different expressions. It took him three years to create this ideal material, upon which the hands and imagination of Orii’s craftspeople were produce original colors that can’t be found anywhere else. It has been used to decorate the walls of famous hotels, the entrance of Takaoka Station, and shrines throughout Takaoka City.
Koji actively promotes exchanges with other industries such as architecture, interior design, food and beverage industries, as well as the field of fashion. He is expanding the possibilities of manufacturing and breathing new life into traditional industries
The Craft
The term “coloring” does not mean painting. It is a traditional technique that utilizes the corrosive nature of copper and brass, and controls the use of chemicals and flame to produce vivid colors. Further experimentation seeks out genuine colors that can be extracted from copper and brass.
Orii Gallery Hachinokura is located in the Yamamachi Valley in Takaoka, a town built in the style of earthen storehouses. The gallery is next to the main factory, and sells original crafts, building materials, nameplates, and other items, and also offers traditional coloring workshops as needed.
Momentum Factory Orii offers factory tours and hands-on coloring experiences to promote the possibilities and appeal of copper coloring. Visitors can choose from two types of methods, making coasters and trays with the traditional coloring technique using rice bran and other ingredients, covered with your own unique colors.
Selected works
