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あかしや 楽遂〈ダルマ軸〉 PL-501 4号 太筆 大筆 毛筆 奈良筆 習字用 書写 書道教室 趣味 漢字作品用 半紙用 楷書 行書 草書 中鋒 狸毛 馬毛 山羊毛 ほどよい硬さ 書道用筆 書道筆 お習字 白毛 中級者用 上級者用 半紙6文字 半紙8文字 漢字用 ダルマ軸
No. 4 large brush筆ネットショップ 楽天市場店
Nara brushes
Japanese name奈良筆
Goat, horse, deer, raccoon dog, and weasel hairs are sorted, rubbed with rice-husk ash and deer leather, mixed through nerimaze, and set into bamboo or wood for Nara fude.
Information last updated 120 days ago
3 images
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Nara City, Yamatokoriyama, and the Making of a Calligraphy Brush
Nara fude are calligraphy brushes made mainly in Nara City and Yamatokoriyama City. Their small scale hides a dense sequence of material decisions: animal hair forms the brush head, bamboo or wood forms the shaft, and the maker adjusts bounce and ink holding through sorting, hair rubbing, hirame flattening, and nerimaze mixing. An origin account links the craft to Kukai, Tang China, and a resident of Yamato about 1,200 years ago; after the Meiji period, the brushes spread with the school education system. On the spring equinox at Sugawara Tenmangu in Nara City, memorial rites, making demonstrations, and hands-on brush making keep the tool visible outside the writing desk.
A Brush Name Anchored in Two Cities
The name Nara fude first gives the brush a working geography. The main manufacturing areas are Nara City and Yamatokoriyama City, and the main products are calligraphy brushes. Within that boundary, the object is built from a brush head of animal hair and a shaft of bamboo or wood, so the place name is carried by the parts that meet ink, paper, and hand.
Hair Chosen by Species, Length, and Feel
The brush tip begins with hair that is sorted before it is shaped. Goat, horse, deer, raccoon dog, weasel, cat, flying squirrel, squirrel, and marten hair appear in the material list, along with animal hairs of similar quality. Species, collecting season, body part, place of origin, softness, stiffness, and length can alter the finished brush, so makers separate hair for the tip, throat, and waist before combining qualities for resilience and ink holding.
Rice-Husk Ash and Deer Leather
The early workshop steps are physical and close to the hand. During nukiage, a comb removes fluffy underhair and the raw hair is mixed. During kemomi, burned rice-husk ash is applied, heat is added, and the hair is wrapped in deer leather and rubbed to remove oil and correct curl. After that, metal and board tools help align the tips, a bladeless small knife removes unsuitable hairs, and water helps flatten the group into hirame.
Nerimaze and the Built Brush Head
Nerimaze gives the mixed hair its evenness. After shaping, layered hair is kneaded and mixed repeatedly so the bundle does not remain patchy, and weak tips are removed. The head then moves through core making and outer-hair wrapping; hemp thread tightens the root, the head is fitted into a bamboo or wooden shaft, and funori, drying, and name engraving complete the finishing steps.
Kukai, Yamato, and the Meiji Classroom
The origin account places Nara fude in a named route: Kukai is said to have learned brush-making methods in Tang China about 1,200 years ago and, after returning to Japan, taught the technique to a resident of Yamato. The later everyday route is the classroom. After the Meiji period, the brushes came into nationwide use with the school education system, linking the craft to calligraphy practice and ordinary lessons.
Spring Equinox at Sugawara Tenmangu
At Sugawara Tenmangu in Nara City, the spring equinox brings Nara Fude Matsuri into a shrine setting. Organized by the Nara Mohitsu Cooperative Association, the gathering includes brush memorial rites, activities connected with calligraphy education, production demonstrations, and hands-on brush-making. A used brush, a working maker, and a visitor trying the process all belong to the same yearly scene.
To understand Nara fude, follow the small materials: tip hair, throat hair, waist hair, rice-husk ash, deer leather, hemp thread, funori, and a bamboo or wooden shaft. The brush carries Nara City and Yamatokoriyama City through a sequence of choices made for bounce, ink holding, and line, then reappears each spring at Sugawara Tenmangu as a tool remembered, demonstrated, and made by hand.
Compiled from public records and official sources; see the recognition links below. Details may change over time.
Recognition & registration
Where this product is officially registered, designated, or recognized in Japan.
FAQ
What is Nara brushes called in Japanese?
It is written as 奈良筆 in Japanese. Search Rakuten and other Japanese sites with that spelling — the English name will not bring up the listings.
What is Nara brushes?
Nara brushes (Nara fude) are calligraphy brushes made mainly in Nara City and Yamatokoriyama City. Brush heads use animal hairs such as goat, horse, deer, raccoon dog, and weasel, sorted by thickness, softness, stiffness, length, and use, then shaped through rubbing, blending, core-making, and binding before fitting into bamboo or wood shafts. The craft's origin account links it to Kukai and Tang China about 1,200 years ago. Nara Fude Matsuri is held at Sugawara Tenmangu on the spring equinox.
What makes Nara brushes distinct, and why is it a Nara specialty?
Hair is sorted into categories such as tip, throat, and waist hair according to thickness, softness, stiffness, length, and use. Kemomi removes oil and corrects hair curl using burned rice-husk ash, heat, and deer leather. Nerimaze blends different hair qualities together so they work well as a single brush head. After the Meiji period, Nara fude spread nationwide alongside the school education system.
How is Nara brushes used or eaten?
Nara fude are classified as writing tools (文具) and used mainly for calligraphy practice. At Nara Fude Matsuri, visitors can watch production demonstrations and try hands-on brush making. A showroom exhibits Nara brushes alongside makeup brushes, letting visitors learn about Nara's traditional craft.
How do you care for Nara brushes?
Keep wood, bamboo, and lacquer out of prolonged soaking, dishwashers, and direct sun — wipe dry after use and let them air out in the shade. For metal and fabric goods, follow the care notes on the listing.
Is Nara brushes a good gift or something to take home?
Most options are shelf-stable, boxed, and travel well, so they suit gifting or bringing home. Confirm the final storage and delivery terms on the Rakuten listing.
Where can I buy Nara brushes?
On Rakuten: the shops listed here right now are 筆ネットショップ 楽天市場店, 工房 墨彩舎. We don't sell directly; purchase, payment, stock, and delivery are all handled on the Rakuten product page.