Where the ink takes its shape
The Kobaien Saikuba Molding Workshop (古梅園細工場, Kōbaien Saikuba) in Tsubaicho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, is the workshop where kneaded ink was weighed and pressed into moulds at Kobaien, the sumi ink maker founded in 1577; it was built in the early Shōwa era (from 1926) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 1998/01/16 (number 29-0021). The Kobaien Saikuba Molding Workshop is a single-storey timber workroom built as part of the ink works. Here the mixture of glue and soot was weighed and pressed into wooden moulds, the point at which raw material first becomes an ink stick. Saikuba means "craft workshop".
The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the early Shōwa era: timber, single storey, tiled, with a building area of 31 square metres. It stands tall for its size.
A craft room under a sacred rope
A passage runs along the south side, with the craft room itself to the north. The walls show their timber posts, with plaster above the lintels, and a shimenawa, the twisted straw rope that marks a pure place, is hung across the building, a feature the Agency points out.
Kobaien explains that a standard stick weighs 15 grams when dry, but about 25 grams of paste goes into the mould because it still holds so much water. The moulds are pear wood carved with characters and designs. Weighing out paste kneaded to a shine and pressing it into the moulds is the work of the Kobaien Saikuba Molding Workshop.
Seeing it
The Kobaien Saikuba Molding Workshop lies inside the Kobaien property and is not open to the public; it can scarcely be seen from the street or the lanes.
Kobaien takes factory visits by reservation, with a hand-gripped ink experience in the ink-making season; ask when booking which buildings the visit includes. Shop hours, how to book a factory visit and directions from the station are on the Kobaien page.
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Q&A
- What happens in the Kobaien Saikuba Molding Workshop?
- Kneaded ink paste of glue and soot is weighed and pressed into wooden moulds.
- What does the Kobaien Saikuba Molding Workshop look like?
- A timber building with exposed posts, plaster above the lintels and a shimenawa straw rope.
- How large is the Kobaien Saikuba Molding Workshop?
- A single-storey timber building of 31 square metres.
- Can visitors see the Kobaien Saikuba Molding Workshop?
- It is not open to the public. Factory visits are by reservation; ask Kobaien what the visit covers.
- When was the Kobaien Saikuba Molding Workshop registered as a cultural property?
- On 1998/01/16, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 29-0021.
Basic Information
| Name | Kobaien Saikuba Molding Workshop (古梅園細工場) |
|---|---|
| Location | 8-1 Tsubakiicho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, and other locations |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 29-0021 |
| Year Designated | Registered 1998/01/16 (Heisei 10) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, tiled roof; building area 31 square metres |
| Owner | Kobaien Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (factory visits by reservation) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Kobaien Saikuba Molding Workshop
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000469
- Cultural Heritage Online — Kobaien Saikuba Molding Workshop
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/191469
- Kobaien Co., Ltd. — Company profile and opening hours
- https://kobaien.jp/profile.html
- Kobaien Co., Ltd. — How sumi is made
- https://kobaien.jp/sumitanjyo.html
Last verified: 2026.10.02
