History of Takaoka | 400 Years of Japanese Craftsmanship
Takaoka City in Toyama Prefecture is known today for traditional crafts such as metal casting and metal coloring.
The roots of this manufacturing culture go back more than 400 years.
The story began when Maeda Toshinaga built Takaoka Castle in 1609 and created a new castle town around it.
This time, we explore how Takaoka developed from a castle town into one of Toyama's most important centers of craftsmanship.
1609: The beginning of Takaoka
The foundations of present-day Takaoka were established in the early Edo period.
In 1609, Maeda Toshinaga, the second head of the Kaga Maeda family, built Takaoka Castle and began developing the surrounding castle town.
The location was well suited not only for defense but also for transportation by both land and water.
Toshinaga hoped that the new town would become a prosperous center in the region.
The beginnings of Takaoka's metalworking industry
Manufacturing was part of Takaoka's development from an early stage.
Maeda Toshinaga invited metal casters to settle in the town and encouraged them to establish a casting industry.
The area that became associated with these craftsmen is known today as Kanayamachi.
The support given to metalworkers helped establish the foundations of what would eventually become Takaoka's famous metalworking tradition.
A castle town without a castle
Takaoka's early history soon faced a major challenge.
Maeda Toshinaga died only a few years after establishing the town.
Then, under the Tokugawa shogunate's "one castle per province" policy, Takaoka Castle was abandoned.
A castle town that had only recently been created suddenly lost its castle.
Rather than allowing the town to decline, the Maeda family pursued policies that encouraged commerce and manufacturing.
From castle town to city of commerce and industry
Takaoka gradually transformed from a military castle town into a city supported by merchants and craftspeople.
Metal casting became one of its major industries, alongside other forms of craftsmanship and commerce.
Techniques were passed from one generation to the next, while the types of products being made changed with the needs of each era.
This ability to preserve technique while adapting its use became an important characteristic of Takaoka manufacturing.
More than 400 years of craftsmanship
Today, Takaoka remains closely associated with metal craftsmanship.
Traditional techniques developed over centuries are now used not only for religious objects and traditional metalware, but also for interior products, tableware, accessories, and contemporary design.
The city's craft culture is therefore not simply something preserved in museums.
It continues to evolve as part of modern manufacturing.
From Takaoka to Mikan
Some of the makers featured on Mikan are connected to this long history of craftsmanship in Takaoka.
Momentum Factory Orii, for example, carries on the traditional metal coloring techniques of Takaoka while applying them to contemporary products.
By learning about Takaoka's history, it becomes easier to understand the traditions behind the products made there today.