Craft · No. 237
No. 237その他の工芸品
Nagasaki Bekko (Tortoiseshell Craft)
長崎べっ甲
nagasaki bekko · 長崎県
Nagasaki Bekko is a traditional Japanese craft made from the shell of the hawksbill sea turtle, produced in Nagasaki Prefecture. Developed through the city's historic trade with foreign nations during the Edo period, it is prized for its warm amber translucency and exceptionally refined craftsmanship.
- Origin
- 長崎県
- Category
- その他の工芸品
- Materials
- 鼈甲
- Designation
- Nat'l Traditional Craft
No. IHistory
The origins of Nagasaki Bekko trace back to the Edo period, when Nagasaki served as Japan's sole officially sanctioned port for foreign trade. Hawksbi…
No. IIMaterials
The primary material is the shell (scutes) of the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), a species native to tropical and subtropical seas. Th…
No. IIITechniques
The production of Nagasaki Bekko begins with carefully cutting and roughly shaping individual scutes from the raw shell. A defining technique is the j…
No. IVClimate
Nagasaki's warm, humid maritime climate, shaped by its position as a historic harbor city, created favorable conditions for working thermoplastic tort…
