About Kawabe Butsudan (Kawabe Buddhist Altar)
Kawabe Butsudan are Buddhist altars produced mainly in Itami City and Kawabe District, Hyogo Prefecture. Said to have developed from the mid-Edo period, establishing a unique style while being influenced by Osaka and Kyoto altar culture. Primarily producing gold altars, with various specialist craftsmen collaborating on gold leaf, maki-e, lacquer, and decorative metal fittings. Widely supplied to Jodo Shinshu temples and homes in the Kansai region, known as the altar production area of Hyogo and the Hanshin area.
Techniques & Materials
Craft terms are shown in the original Japanese — these are proper names with no standard English equivalents.
Techniques
金箔押し蒔絵漆塗り錺金具
Materials
金箔天然漆木材金属金具
Where to see & buy
Workshop names are in Japanese; links go to their official sites.