Craft · No. 198
No. 198文具
Akama Inkstone
赤間硯
akama inkstone · 山口県
Akama Inkstone is a prestigious Japanese inkstone crafted from Akama stone quarried near Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Prized for its fine-grained texture and smooth ink-grinding surface, it has long been favored by calligraphers and scholars alike.
- Origin
- 山口県
- Category
- 文具
- Materials
- Stone
- Designation
- Nat'l Traditional Craft
No. IHistory
The history of Akama Inkstone stretches back at least to the Heian period, when stones quarried near present-day Shimonoseki were already treasured by…
No. IIMaterials
Akama inkstones are made from Akama stone, a fine-grained sedimentary rock — primarily a type of slate or argillite — quarried from limited veins in t…
No. IIITechniques
Crafting an Akama inkstone begins with splitting and rough-shaping the raw stone, followed by detailed carving, surface working, and polishing — all p…
No. IVClimate
The hills around Shimonoseki enjoy a warm, humid climate that has contributed to the geological conditions producing Akama stone's characteristically…
