THE TE-WAZA

The art pieces exhibited here cover a wide range of areas, including tea-making utensils, bronze ware, Buddhist objects, eating utensils, accessories and others-from daily life craft items to even masterpieces that can be displayed in museums.

About Kyoto Metal Works

Metalwares were already in use the early part of the Yayoi Period (200 B.C. to 200 A.D.).
Starting with copperware, metal-work eventually expanded to ironware. In the latter part of the same period, swords, halberds and personal ornaments ware made.

In the Nara Period, the ascendancy of Buddhism led (caused) temples to be built and Buddhism led (caused) temples to be built and Buddhist images to be produced, stimulating the development of metal work techniques. In 794, the capital was transferred from Nara to Kyoto, and the Heian Period (794-1185) started. Therefore metal workers having lived in Nara moved into Kyoto, and a great number of metalwares came to be produced in Kyoto.

Incense burners and candle stands with distinct tint from the past copper ware introduced from China during the Muromach Period, which greatly influenced Japanese metalwork.