GoldenMasterFactory: How magical is Japanese Kanazawa leaf Foil?

In Japan, gold leaf has been used in Buddhist statues, buildings, and works of art since ancient times, and the traditional production area of gold leaf is Kanazawa City in Ishikawa Prefecture.

Kanazawa Romance

 

A thousand years ago, during Japan's Heian Period (roughly 794-1192 AD), in Yamagata Province (present-day Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan), lived a man named Fujigoro who made a living digging sweet potatoes.

An elder from Yamato Province unexpectedly visited Fujigoro with his daughter and declared, "I have seen the Bodhisattva Kannon and have been told to marry my daughter to you..." Unable to personally care for his daughter's daily needs, the elder gifted him with gold dust as a token of his compassion.

However, one day, while trying to catch a flock of geese, Fujigoro panicked and threw a bag of gold dust. Seeing his wife's anger, Fujigoro frantically said, "Maybe that stuff is still stuck to the sweet potatoes we've dug!" With no other options, the couple went up the mountain to dig sweet potatoes and tried to wash them in a nearby lake.

Then, tiny specks of golden light shimmered in the water... It was gold dust!!

The couple instantly became wealthy locals. Because they maintained a virtuous heart for the poor despite their wealth, they were revered and called the "Yam Diggers."

The lake where the couple washed their sweet potatoes became known as Kanazawa, the legendary origin of Kanazawa. Kanazawa, also known as "Kinjo Reize," is a corner of Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan's three great gardens, and its clear waters still flow today.

Kanazawa: Japan's City of Treasures

 

Kanazawa is located on the Sea of Japan in Ishikawa Prefecture in the central Hokuriku region.

How rich is Kanazawa?

In Japan, there's a saying: "Kanazawa accounts for over 98% of Japan's gold leaf production." Just by looking at the kanji characters, you can probably guess the answer: "Almost 100% of Japan's gold leaf is produced in Kanazawa."

Gold has long been integrated into every aspect of local life, but just how extravagant is this city? Not only are buildings, furniture, decorative items, handicrafts, cosmetics, and pastries adorned with dazzling, luxurious gold leaf, but even an ordinary ice cream cone is covered in a blanket of shimmering gold leaf.

It's almost unbelievable: "Wow! I swallowed a whole chunk of gold!"

The high quality of "Kanazawa Foil" is not only due to the local rainy and snowy climate, which is conducive to the production of gold foil; but also due to the superb skills and craftsmanship of the masters.

Kanazawa leaf is the thinnest form of gold leaf, measuring only 1/10,000 to 2/10,000 of a millimeter thick. Since ancient times, it has been the preferred choice for enhancing the decorative and artistic quality of handicrafts.

The development of gold leaf production in Kanazawa is due to the favorable climate of Hokuriku. The right temperature, humidity, and water quality are essential for its production.