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Brushes: not just a tool

  • Writer: Eva Lenz-Collier
    Eva Lenz-Collier
  • Jul 8
  • 4 min read

In Japanese, tools such as brushes are not simply regarded as objects - they are the artist's constant companions, imbued with spirit, experience and respect. In Shintōism, the tool is even considered to have a soul of its own. It accompanies, shapes and reflects the person who uses it.

The brush is a companion - in every stroke, in every movement, in every line.

This applies in particular to the excellently crafted brushes from the traditional Japanese brush centers: Nara and Kumano.


A wall in a brush museum or specialist store displays a variety of carefully sorted Japanese brushes. At the top hang large performance or ceremonial brushes, below finer writing and painting brushes in various sizes. On the left is a board with information on how they are made. A calligraphic character is emblazoned above it. The presentation conveys respect and dedication to the tool.
Exhibition of Japanese brushes - Nara-Fude for calligraphy and lacquer art (Photo: nara-experience.com)

Nara - cradle of the art of brush making for over 1,200 years


Nara is considered the birthplace of Japanese brush making. As early as 806 AD, the Buddhist scholar Kūkai brought the brush technique from China and established it together with local scribes and monks. These brushes are composed of up to ten different animal hairs according to the nerimaze-ho method - from squirrel to wild boar to rabbit.

The nerimaze-hō method mixes up to ten different animal hairs (e.g. horse, squirrel, wild boar) into a complex hair bundle.

Every nuance, every pull, every recoil in the hair is planned. This combination gives the brushes their famous flexibility, which shapes the tip of the brush and flows with ink.


Japanese brush master Kazuo Suzuki works intently with smoke and thread on a piece of brushwork. He wears glasses and is deeply absorbed in his craft.
Shokunin Kazuo Suzuki, one of the last traditional brush masters from Nara, crafting a brush (Photo: rimpamura-ec.com)

The craftsmen in Nara - often shokunin, traditional masters - go through up to 120 work steps, every detail controlled and carried out by themselves. The production is not mass production - it is intimate craftsmanship that makes the soul of the brush tangible in every stroke. Even centuries-old brushes in the Shōsō-in testify to the longevity and cultural significance of this perfection.


A Shintō-Torii made of stone stretches out under a blue sky. Suspended from it: a long row of large writing or calligraphy brushes with light and dark bristles. Strips of white Shintō paper (Shide) hang between the brushes. This shot is from the Kumano Brush Festival, which is celebrated annually in honor of the brushes and their craftsmanship.
At the Kumano Brush Festival, large calligraphy brushes are ceremoniously hung from a Shintō torii. This ritual honors the brushes as soulful tools and acknowledges their importance in the arts and crafts. (Photo: Get Hiroshima)

Kumano - Japan's brush capital with tradition and innovation


A very special brush tradition lives on in Kumano (Hiroshima): more than 80% of all Japanese brushes come from this region . Originally, farmers there sold brushes and ink on their way back from Nara, but soon people began to make their own.


Today, around 1,500 craftsmen work in over 80 family businesses in Kumano, producing an estimated 15 million brushes a year - including writing and cosmetic brushes. Each needle, each strand of hair is processed in up to 70-120 steps. Functionality and beauty are inseparable here: even the handles - often made of bamboo - are lovingly crafted, be it with varnish or by names being engraved into the wood.


A ritual fire with burning brush handles, flames and smoke. The picture shows the ritual burning of disused brushes at the Kumano Brush Festival in Japan.
At the Kumano Brush Festival, old brushes are bid farewell with gratitude - they are given a respectful end to their life cycle through ritual burning. (Photo: GetHiroshima)

The Kumano Fude Matsuri (Brush Festival) on the autumn equinox is an outstanding event: long-serving brushes are given a symbolic ritual burial, as tools also deserve thanks for their service. At the same time, artists, manufacturers and visitors come together on Brush Avenue - a lively celebration of the tool itself.


A tool with personality - in harmony with the artist


In both centers - Nara and Kumano - the brush is not an interchangeable consumable, but a counterpart: A long-lasting companion that learns with the artist. The craftsmen's decades of care are transferred to the brushes, which listen, react, carry and reflect the calligrapher. Each brush is our connection to tradition - a tool that speaks and evolves with use.


A wooden cabinet with a glass front displays an elaborately arranged collection of traditional Japanese brushes. The brushes stand in various containers or hang carefully from holders. Among them are ceramic bowls, ink slabs and other tools for calligraphy and maki-e.
Japanese brushes in store showcase - calligraphy and maki-e tools from Nara (Photo: Lynne Rutter)

When you pick up a brush from Nara or Kumano, you are holding more than just hair. You are holding the heritage of centuries of craftsmanship, the soul of the tool and the respect for what it makes possible. Just like the Kintsugi, it is the intertwining of external care and inner attitude that counts. The brush is a companion - in every stroke, in every movement, in every line.




Sources & related links


  1. Tradition Craftsmanship Handed Down to Artisans – Nara Fude, Nara Travelers Guide (narashikanko.or.jp)


  2. Kumano: Brush Capital of Japan, CNN Travel (edition.cnn.com)


  3. The Master Stroke: Inside Japan's Kumano Brush Festival, Vogue (vogue.com)

  4. Kumano brush – Google Arts & Culture, Ritsumeikan University (artsandculture.google.com)

  5. Kumano, Hiroshima: The brush capital of Japan, Get Hiroshima (gethiroshima.com)

  6. How 200 Years of Kumano Fude Brushmaking Created the Latest Cosmetic Trends, JAL (jal.co.jp)

  7. Nara Brush Tanaka & Workshop infos, Visit Nara / Kansai Guide (the-kansai-guide.com)

  8. Discover the Art and History of Nara Brushes: Japan’s Traditional Handcrafted Masterpieces La La Love Nippon (lala-love-nippon.com)

  9. Kumano Hiroshima | The Calligraphy Brush Capital of Japan A Different Side of Japan (donnykimball.com)


Translated with DeepL.com (free version)


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