Digital cultural properties of Wakasa Obama Top Explanation Pictorial record - Words Map History Chronology Back
Fukui Prefecture the Committee of education


The tools to polish gems :Wakasa-Agate


※Click on image and display an large image
[Photograph offer:the Board of Education of Fukui prefecture]



<IMG src="map/rekishishiryou.png" width="250" height="200">
registered location Owner
H18. Mar. 15th. Country registration Onyu, Obama city Fukui Prefecture the Committee of education


 It is told that the history of jewel processing that has been done in the wakasa provinces in which it centers on Obama City Oniyu goes back until Kyouho period(1716〜35).
 Manufacturers of Wakasa-Agate say not Jewel making(Tamatsukuri) but Jewel polish(Tamasuri). Jewel manufacturing of Wakasa-Agate in tools used, it ranges to the genealogy of the technology of the gem making workman who has been called Tamasuri. A lot of traditional tools since Edo period are included in the polishing tools of Wakasa-Agate.
 The process of Tamasuri becomes it in the order named Harding(Yakiire) → Cutting → Lacking → Puncturing → Cutting down → Polishing. The stone cut like dice undergoes plastic operation to shape like the drum almost by lacking. And, the part that corresponds to the leather of the drum is punctured from both sides. The stick to cut down and the spit to polish are opened to an open hole, and the work cut down and the polished work are done. The feature of the work of Tamasuri like this is that the work of the hole opening enters the front of the process of grinding. Because it was possible to do because it cut down and the shape of the jewel that went up was limited to globular, the Natsume type, and the oval, etc. though it was a loincloth around the hole. Tools and the material used for the above-mentioned each process almost become complete.
 The tools to polish gems :Wakasa-Agate is valuable as material that shows a part of the processing technology of the jewel of our country to say nothing of the processing technology of the agate in the wakasa provinces.