January 5, 2018
Fabrication of “Hounou-date”
Every year, KIKUKAWA fabricates pentagon shields, “Hounou-date”, to pray for safety and prosperity in the upcoming year and to exemplify our New Year’s resolution. On the shield, there are three objects that denote the Japanese Kanji character for water, 水. Each object symbolizes our prayer: the “sword” to ward off evil, the “sickle” to bring good harvest, and the “key” for prosperity.
The root of this tradition lies with Japanese blacksmiths fabricating “Hounou-date” as a talisman against fire. By dedicating a shield with a water kanji at the beginning of the year, the craftsmen cleansed their workplace and prayed for another safe year.
KIKUKAWA still honours this practice as a sign of respect for the artisan handiwork. To hone and pass on our craftsmanship, the fabrication of the shield is carried out by younger members and Vietnamese trainees.
As per tradition, three key materials and finishes were chosen.
- –FURUMI(sulfurized) bronze with the water kanji in silky blasted stainless steel
- -Anodized and defined vibration finished aluminium with the water kanji in silky blasted stainless steel
- -Both shield and the water kanji in stainless steel with coloured clear coating
2018 Kikukawa “Hounou-date”
With the completion of Bloomberg’s European Headquarters, KIKUKAWA’s FURUMI (sulfurized) bronze panels were unveiled.
The silky blast finish, used for the water kanji, is a series of KIKUKAWA’s proprietary finish that has been selected for a number of projects including Tokyo Station and the Japanese Sword Museum.
These shields are on display at various places within our Shiroi factory.
Click here for the finish samples
Click here for the FURUMI (sulfurized) finish
Click here for the Silky Blast finish