Inami in Nanto City of Toyama Prefecture is the representative town of wood carving. In the center of the town is Youkamachi-dori Street, where many wood carving studios stand side by side. A passerby can enjoy the sound of hammering chisels which echoes in the atmospheric townscape, with paving stones laid on the street.
Inami wood carvings originated in the reconstruction of Zuisenji Temple which commenced in 1763. Woodcarvers who carry on the 260-year tradition of wood carving are still showcasing their skills on nearby temple and shrine structures, hikiyama festival floats, but also widely famous temples and shrines such as Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Higashi Honganji Temple in Kyoto and Tsukiji Honganji Temple in Tokyo, and in recent years, Honmaru Palace of Nagoya Castle in 2018.
In this exhibition, display items include the carvings for temples and shrines where you can see bold deep relief and advanced carving techniques, elaborate hikiyama carvings that decorate gorgeous festival floats, delicate and graceful ranma carvings that developed as ranma transoms for private houses in the Meiji Era onwards (1868–). Also, the production process, making a full use of more than 200 chisels and carving chisels, will be displayed in videos, sketches and tools that are actually used by the woodcarvers.
Many of the wood carvings crafted, using outstanding techniques, vividly depict narratives through lions, dragons, various animals and plants as well as iconic sceneries that have embellished buildings and people’s lives- for long years and in various places.
Please enjoy the majestic and breathtaking world Inami Wood carvings.

Exhibition title

INAMI Wood Carvings: Sculpting Narratives

Date

2023 September 30 (Sat) ~ December 3 (Sun)

Venue

Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum 1F Hall

Time

9:30 – 16:30 (last admission 16:00)

Closed

Mondays (The following day when Monday falls on a national holiday)

Admission

Adults¥700, Seniors (65 and over) / Students(College/University, High School)¥500, Students(Elementary, Junior High School):Free
＊Including permanent exhibition fee