Gold in the Shadow of Steel

Jun 13, 2025

「EP.45」肥後象がん

HIGO ZOGAN
Kumamoto Prefecture

「transcript」

In 1632, gunsmith Hayashi Matashichi was appointed to serve Higo lord Hosokawa Tadatoshi. Around this time, a metal inlay technique, originating in Damascus, Syria, had traveled through the Silk Road to Japan. Hayashi adapted it to decorate the weapons of samurai and soldiers, creating the beautiful tradition of Higo Zogan.

To inlay gold, craftsmen first etch a grid onto iron, creating a field of tiny spikes across the surface. Then, using deer antlers, they hammer in strips of gold or silver, fusing them with the base.

Next comes the signature rusting: the piece is coated with a fiercely guarded formula, so complex and sacred that even fellow artisans rarely share its full recipe. Once heated, the iron slowly rusts, then is steeped in tannin-rich liquid like boiled tea. This turns the surface a deep black, dramatically highlighting the gold inlay.

Originally used to decorate gun barrels and sword guards, these techniques found new life after the Meiji-era sword ban. Artisans shifted their skills to accessories and everyday items. Today, Kumamoto craftsmen continue the legacy, working with the same pride samurai once held.

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