How did Ito become a seal carver?

Was your father also a seal carver?

 
 Yes. He was a common seal carver in a town. He carved seals from boxwood, ivory and buffalo horns. But he fell sick just 3 or 4 years after I took over his job. It is called cerebral infarction, isn't it? The right side of his body was paralyzed, and he became unable to do any job. So I I studied carving almost completely on my own. It is the reason I can make these unique seals (artistic seals). If I have made ordinary seals, I could not get out of a common seal carver.
 

Seals

When did you hit upon the idea of making seals from small branches?

 

 It was when I displayed my works at a craftsmen's exhibition, so when I was over 40 years old. Machine carving became widespread, so I sought something new. Meanwhile, a visitor at a craftsmen's exhibition said that he made a seal from a tea plant. So I asked my husband to go to a mountain and get tea plants. Then, I made a seal from the plant. It was a good piece of work, and I became absorbed in it. Also, since my husband grew up in a mountainous area and was familiar with trees, he brings me a variety of hard trees which are suitable for making seals. At first, I had only carved characters on seals because shapes of characters are interesting. But the Oriental zodiac sign of the following year was the Rabbit, so I immediately made seals with rabbits carved on them. Rabbits are cute, aren't they? They jump up and down, and are pretty even when they sit down. When I displayed the seals on the store shelves, customers wanted to buy them. The seals were popular with customers. Moreover, I was advised by customers that it is even better if names are carved here. So these works were produced from customers' idea.
 

Could you tell me how to make a seal?

 
 I put down a polishing material (glass or other materials), rub a seal material on it and flatten the surface. The center of the surface may have a dent even if it seems flat when the material is just cut out. When the surface is flattened, I apply vermilion ink on it. Then, I write characters or draw pictures on it using sumi ink, and carve it leaving black parts. These are the process of making seals.
 

How deep do you engrave the surface?

 
 If I engrave it to a depth of 1 millimeter, it is too deep. I do not engrave to such extent. These are half-finished works. I clean up seals after carving names, so I do not engrave so deeply.
 

How long does it take to complete a seal?

 
 It takes long time to think of designs. Once a design is determined, I can complete a seal in just 2 or 3 hours. I can also carve a name within one hour.
 

Tools

Could you tell me about engraving knives?

 
 You are talking about tools that are used to engrave common seals made of ivory or buffalo horns, aren't you? I am using 12 or 13 types of knives. Widths of the edges vary. In addition, engraving knives have edges on its back. Today's seal carvers do not use these tools. They are using machines.
 

How do you care engraving knives?

 
 I sharpen knives approximately once in a week. I carve hard materials, so if I do not sharpen knives, they become dull. I wind rattan around handles by myself. When blades are worn away and rattan is damaged, I pull edges out a few centimeters, rewind rattan around handles and sharpen edges. It is not easy because nowadays there are not so many craftsmen who can make engraving knives.
 

Could you tell me about the stand that holds seals?

 

 It is "Tenkoku-dai." It is also callled "Inkoku-dai." I have used this Tenkoku-dai for nearly 40 years, so it has a good polish. When I engrave seals, I turn Tenkoku-dai around, so its underside is also worn away. My father's Tenkoku-dai is more awful. When seals are set on his Tenkoku-dai, the seals stick out, so it cannot hold seals.
 

Ito's works

What is the most popular design nowadays?

 
 Generally, it is the "Rabbit" that is the following year's Oriental zodiac sign. Also, customers' Oriental zodiac signs are popular. But when it is the year of the Snake, seals do not sell well. Seals carved with a design of "Jizo," or guardian deity of travelers and children, also sell well. Customers say they feel comforted. A design of cats is also popular.
 

Why do customers buy those seals?

 
 They usually buy the seals as presents, such as a baby, wedding or Christmas present. Also, there was a man who gave the seal to a woman in return for the chocolate he received on Valentine's Day. A customer once asked me to carve a name on a seal with a cat design because his girlfriend likes cats. I also get overseas orders. Those international customers buy seals as presents, so I often carve their names on seals. Foreigners like the texture of wood. For example, cherry trees are popular. A while ago, American and French people joined my hands-on class, and enjoyed making seals on which Chinese characters representing letters of their names were carved. Many customers visit the hands-on class.