Craft · No. 221
No. 221その他の工芸品
Edo Bekko (Edo Tortoiseshell)
江戸べっ甲
edo bekko · 東京都
Edo Bekko is a traditional Tokyo craft made from the shell of the hawksbill sea turtle. Prized for its warm amber-to-deep-brown tones and luminous translucency, it is crafted into exquisite accessories and decorative objects by skilled artisans.
- Origin
- 東京都
- Category
- その他の工芸品
- Materials
- 鼈甲
- Designation
- Nat'l Traditional Craft
No. IHistory
The art of tortoiseshell craftsmanship is believed to have reached Japan through Nagasaki, where the processing of hawksbill turtle shells imported vi…
No. IIMaterials
The primary material is the scute (scale plate) of the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), harvested from the dorsal shell. The plates rang…
No. IIITechniques
Production encompasses a multi-stage process: selecting and cutting the raw plates, heat-forming, bonding, and meticulous polishing. Artisans soften t…
No. IVClimate
Tokyo's warm, humid summers create a working environment well-suited to heat-based shell manipulation, though craftspeople must carefully control temp…
