In Imizu, Toyama Prefecture, kote-e artisans carefully removed a year's dust from a large plaster artwork at a local museum during year-end cleaning. The piece, titled 'Soryu' (Double dragons), spans more than 17 meters and depicts two white dragons facing each other, making it one of Japan's largest. This traditional craft helps preserve cultural heritage in the region.
At a museum in Imizu, Toyama Prefecture, year-end cleaning was carried out around late December. Kote-e artisans Katsunori Ishizaki and his son, from Nanto in the same prefecture, brushed away accumulated dust from the artwork titled 'Soryu' (Double dragons). This piece measures more than 17 meters wide and shows two white plaster dragons facing each other, ranking among Japan's largest kote-e works.
Kote-e is a traditional Japanese handicraft where plaster is layered using trowels of various sizes to form three-dimensional images and patterns. The Kosugi district in Imizu has long been a hub for this craft and is the birthplace of plasterer Genzo Takeuchi (1886-1942), whose creations adorned the VIP room of the Imperial Hotel and other structures.
In addition to the main artwork, the artisans dusted mica powder onto a namako wall—a grid-like pattern made with white plaster—to restore its shine. 'We want to make the works as clean as possible so that many people will be able to appreciate them again next year,' Ishizaki said.
This cleaning effort underscores the preservation of traditional crafts and their cultural significance in the community.