METAL INDUSTRY. 427 



swords stood at once higher in the general estimation than any other 

 tradesman ; his industry flourished when all others were laid low. 



When the dynasty of the Tokugawa-Shoguns was firmly founded 

 by lyeyasu and his next successors, and the land was assured of 

 peace, the other branches of metal industry, as well as of industrial 

 art in general, became once more important. The disturbance 

 which it suffered twenty years ago, through the setting aside of 

 feudalism and the restoration of the Mikado government, has had 

 no lasting effect except upon the forging of weapons. On the other 

 hand, metal industry has made new openings for itself in many of 

 its artistic branches, and shows in these remarkable progress, as will 

 appear hereafter more especially in the instances mentioned. 



There is scarcely any kind of metal ornamentation or decoration, 

 with the exception of galvanizing, which the Japanese had not 

 known and practised before the opening of the country. In their 

 more eminent accomplishments they had already won the admi- 

 ration of European connoisseurs. Precious metals, copper, bronze, 

 and cast-iron, however different their properties may be, all yield 

 to the skilful hand of the Japanese, and to his manifold little art- 

 conceptions, which effectively supplement the simplicity of the 

 tools. His decorations of iron and bronze belong notably to 

 the most costly that can be accomplished in this direction. The 

 wonderful skill with which apparently insurmountable difficulties 

 in damascening, chasing and other work are overcome, surprises us 

 no less than the great ability to work effective colour combinations, 

 and the means of their representation. 



Before I proceed now to the description of the chief accomplish- 

 ments in the several divisions of Japanese metal industry, I will 

 explain them briefly in the interest of such readers chiefly who 

 may not understand the customary art expressions. The most 

 common working utensils which are used by the Japanese in the 

 various kinds of metal decoration are the following : ist, the anvil, 

 Kana-shiki or Kana-toko ; 2nd, the tongs, namely: a. Yattoko, the 

 pincers ; b. Kana-hibashi, the fire tongs for holding hot metals ; 

 c. Kugi-nuki, the nail tongs ; 3rd, the iron hammer, Kana-dzuchi 

 (Sai-dzuchi is the wooden hammer which is used in the chiselling 

 of wood, and other softer substances) ; 4th, the file or Yasuri ; 5th, 

 the chisel or Nomi, in many forms and sizes ; 6th, the burin, bent 

 graver or Tagane, a little piece of iron from a finger's to a hand's 

 length, generally in the shape of a nail ; the upper end a little 

 enlarged like a head, the lower either pointed or sharpened like 

 a chisel, and always edged with steel. The burin is used in en- 

 graving, chasing and inlaying, and is one of the simplest but most 

 important of the tools of this industry. The punch is a kind of 

 burin whose steel end has other forms and is often provided with 

 figures. It is used in the chasing of metals ; 7th, Ko-gatana, a 

 small knife. 



The various forms of decoration which the Japanese employ with 



