Greetings from the Artisan
Hello, my name is Kunio Takata, a metal craftsman. For the past 23 years, I have devoted myself to the traditional Japanese metalworking technique known as mokume-gane in my workshop, located in a quiet corner of Higashiyama, Kyoto.
My workshop is situated on Komonzen Street in the Gion area, where apprentice geisha pass by. This street once thrived as the temple town in front of Chion-in, the head temple of the Jōdo sect of Buddhism, and it remains to this day a town of antique art and collectibles steeped in the atmosphere of the late Edo period. Nearby are the stone-paved Gion Shirakawa with its flowing Shirakawa River, lattice-doored machiya townhouses, and the passing silhouettes of wagasa umbrellas. Surrounded by the air of this historical preservation district, I spend my days conversing with metal and exploring patterns.
I first encountered mokume-gane in my twenties. While running a custom bridal ring business, I received a request from a customer: “Could you make wedding rings in mokume-gane?” From there, I was captivated by the depth of the technique, the beauty of its flowing patterns, and the organic texture that makes it feel unlike metal. Before I knew it, mokume-gane had become the center of my life.
The style I specialize in is seamless mokume-gane, with uninterrupted wood-grain patterns encircling the ring and continuing on the inside. *Note: Not all of my mokume-gane pieces have this feature—only when specifically ordered.*
I craft each one entirely by hand, from start to finish, creating “true mokume-gane.” I use no machines or computers—only traditional methods, fire, hammer, and quiet time.
Why am I so committed to handcrafting?
Because it resonates with the spirit of Kyoto’s streetscape.
True strength and beauty lie in what remains unchanged, even as the times change.
It is because I believe this that I find meaning in “living and creating in Kyoto.”
This website, “mokume-gane.co.jp,” is the culmination of my love for mokume-gane. I hope to share this technique with those who have never heard of it and to help those who already know it understand it more deeply. Like the city of Kyoto itself, I want this site to be a place where there is always something new to discover, no matter how many times you visit.
May the beautiful layers of mokume-gane leave something in your heart.
— Kunio Takata
Profile of the Artisan & Supervisor
Kunio Takata
- Occupation: Metal craftsman, workshop owner
- Location: Komonzen Street, Higashiyama, Kyoto
- Age: 50
- Affiliation: Enishi Co., Ltd.
- Years of Experience: 23
- Specialties: Seamless mokume-gane, fully integrated ring designs with patterns extending inside
- Philosophy: Devoted to handcrafting using only fire and hammer, preserving traditional craftsmanship
- Favorite Books: See reference materials on this website
Activities & Achievements
- Conducted workshops in Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe
- Over 15 years of experience teaching ring-making
- Workshop located in a designated historical landscape preservation area
Workshop Surroundings
- Based in a Kyoto City–designated historical landscape preservation district
- Surrounded by Kyoto icons such as Chion-in, Gion Shirakawa, the Shirakawa River, and the antique district
- Operates in a traditional machiya townhouse where only the sound of the anvil quietly resonates
Hobbies & Personality
- Personality: Meticulous and uncompromising in every task
- Hobbies: Strolling through Kyoto, exploring antiques
- Special Skill: Practicing the martial art of jiu-jutsu to maintain both body and mind
- Favorite Saying: “Fortune and misfortune are intertwined” — The true value or meaning of things is not immediately clear. That is why I believe it is important to face the work before me with care and sincerity.
The patterns of mokume-gane are one-of-a-kind memories created by fire, metal, and time.
With each carving, its layers reveal new expressions, and in them I see vibrations in my heart.
I look forward to the day we meet in the city of Kyoto.
