A Family Silver maker joining spirits

A piece of flat silver plate is cut into a perfect circle with a gold cutting scissors. Nowadays, in processing silver products, there are many factories use die cutting machines, but in the case of Nissin Kikinzoku starts its handiworks from this cutting process.

The silver plate cut out into a perfect circle will change the shape by the technique called “Shibori (Squeeze)”. This process also called “Tsuchi Shibori (Squeezing with hammer)”, is carried forward by handwork and done by tools called “Ategane ” and “Kiduchi (Wood hammer)”. Once the shape is decided, the next step is polishing.
Using a grinding stone called Nagura Toishi which can be picked from Tsushima coast. All of these are handicrafts and made painstakingly, become a finest finished of the taste of the silver cup. The main process of silverware is “cutting”, “squeezing”, “Shoudon(annealing)”, “decoration” and “polishing”. At Nisshin Kikinzoku, this is not part of the division of labor with outside craftsmen, they all do it by themselves.
Especially it is very unique as a family of five members including current leader Sosyo Uekawa and his three sons and a daughter.

The founder of Nisshin Kikinzoku was the first apprentice of Munemichi Hirata whose father Hirata Zennojyo is the famous silver maker in late Edo period.The second generation inherits the skill of the master and is now being handed over to his children. The first son Sohaku is in charge of”Tsuiki”, the second son Soko deals with “Hera Shibori (Squeezing with spatula)”, the third son Sotatsu is engaged in “polishing” then fist daughter Sochi works on “decoration” including “Sukashi Bori ”The family gathers strength and tails silver into the best instrument.

Nisshin Kikinzoku Limited Company
Ito Bldg.1F, 1-3-13, Misuji, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0055
Tel:+81-3-5687-5585
Fax:+81-3-5687-5679
Sousho Kamikawa
info@nisshin-kikinzoku.com