株式会社杉本美装

Breathing Life into Products

The final task, to breathe life into the product.
After which it is sent off into the world.

Understanding its unique appeal,
I select and apply the most suitable color.

I've done this job for many years.
The people who came before me did it too.
It is something only I can do.
Something to be passed on.
To be passed on with affection.

The Difference between
"Coloring" and "Coating

"Coloring" means bringing out the original colors of the metal by oxidizing/carbonizing its surface, with various chemicals and organic substances, using traditional techniques employed over time in the Takaoka Copperware manufacturing process.

"Coating" means applying color artificially by spraying the product with paint, made from a mixture of pigment, resin, and solvent. At Sugimoto Bisou, we furnish products with outstanding weatherability and chemical resistance, by spraying them with acrylic resin before baking.

After starting our journey as a finishing shop for Takaoka Copperware, a 400-year-old traditional craft, we have continued to pioneer various "coloring" and "coating" techniques, while exploring possibilities for a wide range of expressive styles—incorporating acrylic coating in the traditional Takaoka Copperware industry early on and creating "crystal exposure," a technique in which the crystalline patterns in metal are chemically exposed.

Base: Various metals
Color: Chemical treatment

and MORE

More real than the real thing Imitation Coating

Base: Glass, metal, plastic, etc.
Color: Resin coating

Introducing our original brand of "imitation coating" items.
We have created a new expressive style, in which "metal coating" is applied to glass objects.

and MORE

The Takaoka Copperware industry is about 400 years old. In the early years, metal casters received special treatment from Kaga Domain in the form of tax breaks and the granting of surnames; however, only licensed craftsmen were permitted to open businesses. At the end of the Edo period, there were several copperware production centers in Japan, such as Kyoto, Osaka, Edo/Tokyo, Kanazawa, Tsubame, and Takaoka, but apart from Takaoka, all of these areas experienced a decline in production as operators lost their privileged status and moved into other industries. The mid-Edo period saw the emergence of copperware merchants, who grasped and catered to the emerging needs of the nation and began producing copperware under the wholesale system. The production process consists of preparing the base metal, casting, welding, polishing, chasing, coloring, and finishing, and because high-level skills are required at each stage of the process, production is divided among several business operators. After the war, the aluminum industry was born and grew into the key industry, which used copperware casting techniques based on the methods and traditions of Takaoka Copperware. The first products were Buddhist altar fittings, and then in the Meiji and Taisho periods, companies began to make braziers, candlesticks, tea-things, and ornaments, and these products came to be recognized throughout Japan for their artistic value. In recent years, in addition to the mainstay Buddhist altar fittings, the range of products has expanded to cater to an increasing demand for gifts, such as vases and interior items, as well as exterior products, with businesses also investing effort in developing materials, techniques, and designs.

Representative Director

Kazufumi Sugimoto

Joined Sugimoto Bisou in 2000, at the time of founding, after leaving his previous job. While experiencing the traditional coloring techniques of Takaoka Copperware, he has inherited the unique technical traditions fostered by the previous company president.To meet the various demands of our customers, he is currently developing a variety of coating materials for a variety of surfaces, while also focusing on technological innovation. During the last few years, he has begun developing an original range of products and is pursuing new possibilities for the company. Day to day, he is committed to discovering and proposing the most suitable colors for our customers' products.

Director

Bunkichi Sugimoto

He entered the coloring industry in 1965, mainly coloring vases and other Takaoka Copperware items.After that, he applied traditional Takaoka Copperware coloring techniques in another field, building materials, in which he created new expressive styles. He was also involved in the development of the "crystal exposure" coloring method, which was born from the application of the chajinchu (literally "brown brass") technique, a traditional method used to color Takaoka Copperware.

About Us

Company Name	Sugimoto Bisou Co., Ltd.
Representative	Representative Director, Kazufumi Sugimoto
Address	977 Chokeiji, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, 933-0951, Japan　 Access map
Telephone No.	0766-28-8260
FAX	0766-28-8270
Established	November 2000
Capital	3 million yen
No. of Employees	8
Business Content	－ Coloring and coating of Takaoka Copperware artworks and industrial products － Development and sale of original products based on coloring and coating techniques
Main Business Results	－ Coloring and coating of various Takaoka Copperware products － Coloring and coating of building materials, such as handles and nameplates － Coloring and coating of decorative items, such as spectacle frames and cuff links － Collaboration with other traditional industries (Nanbu Ironware, Banshu Bladewear, Tsubame Tableware, etc.)
URL	http://www.sugimotobisou.com
E-mail	info@sugimotobisou.com

Company History

November 2000	Established Sugimoto Bisou in Naimen, Takaoka City Commenced copperware coloring and coating in Toide, Takaoka City
September 2001	Moved to Daigenji, Takaoka City, to expand workshop Commenced coating building materials
May 2008	Incorporated as Sugimoto Bisou Co., Ltd.
October 2010	Established workshop in and moved to Chokeiji, Takaoka City (current location) Commenced surface treatment and coating of different materials

Machinery

Coating booths	3	2 x 1.5m wide, 1 x 2m wide
Baking/drying furnace	1	Interior dimensions: 1m x 1.2m x 1.8m
Color guides	3	Japan Paint Manufacturers Association, DIC, PANTONE
Polishers	2	1 x belt type, 1 x lathe type

Affiliation

Takaoka Traditional
Industry Youth Association,
former member