538年、おりんは仏教と共に仏具として、中国大陸から朝鮮半島を経て、日本へと伝わってきました。
はじめは、単に鳴り物としての存在でしたが、1100年頃から仏教が庶民の間に広がり盛んになっていくにつれて、おりんの音色がより心地良いものとなるようにと、僧侶と職人が意見交換し、試行錯誤をしながら、形や厚みを変え、日本独自の進化を繰り返してきました。
そして現在のおりんは、心を落ち着かせ、祈りに集中しやくするためのものとして仏事に欠かせないものになってます。
長い年月を経て今尚進化し続ける美しいおりんの音色、心の平穏や集中力を高める存在として、必要とする方に届き、広がっていくことを願っています。
In 538 AD, along with Buddhism, the bronze bell, known as "orin," was transmitted from the Chinese mainland to the Korean Peninsula and eventually to Japan.
Initially used simply as a musical instrument, around 1100 AD, as Buddhism spread among the common people, monks and craftsmen exchanged ideas and experimented to create a more pleasing tone for the orin, resulting in various changes in its shape and thickness, leading to Japan's unique evolution of the instrument.
Today, the orin is indispensable in Buddhist ceremonies, serving to calm the mind and focus prayers.
Over the years, we hope that the beautiful sound of the orin, will reach and spread to those who need it as a means of enhancing peace of mind and concentration.
北に日本海、南に雄大な立山連峰を臨む、富山県北西部に位置する高岡市は、今から約400年前、加賀(現在の石川県・富山県の一部)の前田家 二代当主 前田利長によって城下町として開かれました。
以降、高岡の町は、7人の鋳物職人が関西より招聘されたことにはじまる「高岡銅器」の産地としても発展し、鍋や釜、農具といった暮らしの道具から、戦のための武具、そして世の安寧を祈る仏具の生産を担い、今日まで各地の人々の営みを支えてきました。
昇龍は、江戸時代から続く鍛金技法によるおりん制作を本家より受け継ぎ、明治42年(1909年)、初代 島谷和吉のもと創業しました。
創業から110年の年月を経た現在、4代目 島谷好徳が先代や職人らと工房を守り、古きものを手当てしながら、新たな創造を手掛けています。
Located in the northwest of Toyama Prefecture, Takaoka City overlooks the majestic Tateyama mountain range to the south and the Sea of Japan to the north.
About 400 years ago, the city was established as a castle town by Maeda Toshinaga, the second lord of the Maeda family in Kaga (which includes present-day Ishikawa and parts of Toyama Prefecture). Since then, Takaoka has evolved into a prominent producer of "Takaoka copperware," beginning with the recruitment of seven skilled metalworkers from the Kansai region.
The town of Takaoka has played a crucial role in supporting the livelihoods of people from various regions. It has thrived as a center for the production of everyday items such as pots, kettles, and farming tools, as well as weaponry for warfare and religious artifacts praying for peace.
Syouryu, inheriting the art of ornamental metalworking from the Edo period, was founded under the guidance of the first generation, Wakichi Shimatani, in 1909 (Meiji 42). Now, after 110 years since its establishment, the fourth-generation owner, Yoshinori Shimatani, continues to uphold the traditions of his predecessors and craftsmen in the workshop.
While preserving the old, they also engage in new creative endeavors.
「昇龍」のおりんは、百余りある金槌・木槌から相応しい道具を用いて「真鍮を叩き、炎に当てる」を繰り返す鍛金技法によって形づくられ、最後に、おりんの縁を金槌で叩いては聴き、叩いては聴き、調和のとれた‘うねり’へと導く調音によって、音が調えられ、唯一無二の音色が生まれます。
繊細な感性と確かな技量が求められるこうした技法は、絶え間のない手仕事と祈りのなか、歳月をかけて習得され、一子相伝によって受け継がれてきました。
今、時代の求めに応えるように、「昇龍」は仏具の枠を超え、更には文化風習の違いを超えて、世界各地の多様な人々の手元へと渡っています。
移りゆく人や社会のニーズに応じて、数々の工夫と創造が重ねられ、その技や意匠は進化を経ながら、森羅万象に通ずる奥義が守られています。
The "Syouryu's Orin" are crafted using a forging technique that involves repeatedly "hammering brass and exposing it to flames" using suitable tools chosen from over a hundred metal and wooden hammers. In the final stages, the edge of the "Oring" is struck with a hammer, creating an undulation of rhythmic striking and listening. Through the harmonious tuning achieved by this toning process, the sound is adjusted, giving birth to a unique and unparalleled tone.
This delicate and skill-demanding technique, carried out amidst continuous manual labor and prayers, is mastered over time and passed down through generations through direct transmission from parent to child.
Now, in response to the demands of the times, "Syouryu" transcends the framework of Buddhist instruments and even crosses cultural differences, reaching the hands of diverse people around the world.
Adapting to the changing needs of individuals and society, numerous innovations and creations have been accumulated. While the techniques and designs undergo evolution, the profound secrets that resonate with all things in universe are faithfully preserved.