Parquetry Carving “Invitation”, Precious Coral Art. Photo: Kadota Mikiya

Kochi’s
precious coral has been collected in a sustainable fishing method that coexists
with nature without exhausting the supply for more than 150 years since the end
of the Edo period. The difficulty of collecting large coral, however, remains
an issue even today, and in recent years the price of coral has continued to
rise, influenced by the economic growth in China. As a result, the master
carver Maekawa Taizan has been experimenting with a new technique of ‘parquetry
carving’, where a variety of corals are assembled before carving. Also, they
have devised a way to powder coral and use it as a pigment, which is being
employed actively. This makes it possible to utilize the various colors and
shapes of coral, while protecting the resources.