TOKYO Teshigoto

A cool lampshade made from shamisen rawhide skin.

shami lantern

Craft Type： 31Tokyo Shamisen

Passion and Dedication of the Craftsman

Sangenshi Kikuoka is a workshop in Katsushika-ku that makes and repairs Tokyo shamisen.

They have created shami lantern, born from the traditional technique of stretching skin over a shamisen. The rawhide, which was used as a membrane to spread sound, is now a membrane to let light through. The varying thicknesses and translucency are used to give expression to the light. The ridges are created by the skin forming process and the artisan's hands. The technique for producing these lampshades, by wetting the skin and molding it against a wooden shape, is the same as used for stretching a skin over a shamisen. The process of creating these ridges that modulate the light and shade is entirely done through the skill and experience of the artisan, shaping the hide by hand, then kneading it as it dries.

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Craft Description

Product Name	shami lantern
Craftsman Name	Sangenshi Kikuoka
Craft Type	31Tokyo Shamisen
Variations	3 Variations (1) Red Oak + Plain (2) Striped Ebony + Plain (3) Striped Ebony + Green
Materials	Rawhide, wood
Sizes	Diameter 165 x H155mm
Suggested Retail Price (incl. tax)	(1) 45,100 yen (2), (3) 50,600 yen

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Craftsman Profile