230 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1*92. 



14. Agitator, for mixing colors in the basin, Xo. 17. 



15. Pads of cotton cloth, to be placed under the four corners of the 

 planks, while printing-, to keep them from moving. 



16. The Jive dry colors described above as used in the printing of 

 " Yinaka genji," put up in bottles. 



17. Basin, for mixing colors. 



The printer and printing. The method of taking-impressions is 

 illustrated on Plate ix. The printer seats himself, and arranges all the 

 tools and materials required, in good order, as shown. The plank to 

 be printed is placed on the printer's table A, and the required color is 

 laid on with the brush B. The paper being ready for printing, and 

 having been placed upon the shelf C of the box D, a sheet of it is laid 

 down upon the plank, and is rubbed lightly with the "baren" E. The 

 printed sheet is then placed on a board which rests upon the box F, 

 used for keeping colors, color dishes, etc., and when the required num. 

 ber of sheets has been printed, they are put back on the shelf C. An- 

 other plank is now taken, the second impression is made upon the 

 sheets bearing the first, and this is followed by the third, fourth, etc., 

 until the printing is completed. 



Charging the block with color. ["Inking" the block.] As before 

 stated, the pigment to be used is put on the block or plank, and some 

 rice paste is then sprinkled upon it. It is well, also, to soak the brush 

 properly with this paste, so as to mix it thoroughly with the pigment. 

 This increases the brilliancy of the colors, and also hxes them more 

 completely. 



Dry impression. [Embossing.] There is a special kind of printing, 

 called " dry impression." This is used when it is desired to represent 

 designs of the same color as the ground, but differing in brilliancy. It 

 is executed after the printing has been finished, and the paper has be- 

 come quite dry. The sheet is then laid upon a plank specially cut for 

 the purpose, but not charged with color, and is rubbed with the 

 "baren."* 



The " baren " and the method of using it. The " baren" (see Plate x 

 a-d) is a little hard shield, d, consisting of a stiff disk a, made of 

 layers of paper pasted together, and turned up at the edge so as to 

 form a very shallow receptacle, and covered with cotton cloth on the 

 outside. A second disk b, formed of twisted cord, fits into this shallow 

 receptacle, and is held in place by the bamboo sheath c, made of the 

 ribbed leaf of the bamboo, which is drawn tightly over it and twisted 

 together on the back, so as to form a handle. This latter is made more 

 convenient for the hand to grasp it by a strip of paper wound around 

 it and so arranged as to assume the shape of a rectangular pad.t The 



*Some specimens in the U. S. National Museum show, however, that this emboss- 

 ing is occasionally done before the printing is finished. 



tThis description is based upon the object itself, rather than upon Mr. Tokuuo's 

 notes. 



