inden

From 印伝 t rad it ion to “i n d e n ”
Elega nt a nd du rable wh ite leat her

Yamanashi Prefectureʼs wild deer transformation projectCurrently, deers are being captured, because of the agricultural and forestry damage they are causing all across Japan.
Yamanashi Prefectureʼs wild deer transformation project Koshu-Indenʼs idea of using captured deer leather in designing goods is part of a large-scale project
aimed at ﬁnding a solution for the problem. Transporting the captive deers has proven to be extremely diﬃcult and costly. The pro-ject began in mid 2014 andhas been expanding since. As part of it, local businesses from cities and villages around the prefecture are cooperating to create high quality products. Startingwith local food manufacturers, later hunter groups, leather processing companies, designers, artists and leather workers, many more have joined the project.
Japan has been struggling to control the fast-growing deer populations across the country. Deers have caused severe agricultural and forestry damage and arebeing captured as a means of stopping the numbers growing. However, as part of this project local businesses in Yamanashi Prefecture are working together tosolve this serious issue.

brand concept

inden

From 印伝 tradition to “inden”
Elegant and durable white leather
Yamanashi Prefectureʼs eﬀorts to control the wild deer population has
inspired Koshu-Inden to create these design goods as a way to preserve
the local tradition and provide a solution to this problem. The delicate
deer hide is treated with utmost respect and is carefully crafted into thestunning white leather goods. They are soft to the touch and sturdy at
the same time proving the quality of the URUSHINASHIKA brand andʻKoshu-Indenʼ technique continued since the Edo pe-riod.
We made the URUSHINASHIKA good to last and ﬁt your needs.

inden

Koshu-Inden - the unique technique of putting Urushi lacquer on deer skin
Made from soft and light deer hide these products aredecorated using traditional techniques whereby
various lustrous patterns are applied in lacquer withpatterned paper to the surface of deerskin.
This method uses the traditional Urushi lacquering
technique. The bags and wallets are enjoyed by manyas daily life necessities and beautiful accessories whichbrighten up every day.

verm i n d a mage

Koshu-Inden - a solution to Yamanashi Prefectures wild deer problem
Currently as many as 70,000 wild deers are living in Yamanashi Prefecture alone. The prefecture has introduced a policy under which 13,000 deers arecaptured each year in an eﬀort to cut the population and protect the forestry and agriculture within the area. However, as little as 1-2% of these captured
deers are used by food companies and manufacturers. Our company is trying to ﬁnd a solution to this problem and to respectfully treat the captured deers.
This project is connecting local businesses and is aiming to help the local agriculture, forestry and community.

edoms t ic wh it e d e e r le at her

Japanʼs ﬁrst locally made white captured deer leather goods
The highest quality white deer leather is made by Koshu-Inden has no match. Unlike the mass pro-duced leather goods tanned using chromium dominating
the current market, Koshu-Indenʼs deer hide leather is carefully crafted using unique natural techniques with no artiﬁcial coloring or bleaching within theprocess. Chromium is know for being harmful to the environment and people. Our leather is made by collaborating with local Yamanashi hunter and weselect only the ﬁnest quality deer hide which is when lightly tanned and made into the light, soft to the touch, but durable white leather.

uru

shi coating

Delicate traditional patterns revived
by Urushi craftsmen
The stunning patterns are applied in lacquer with patterned paper to thesurface of deerskin using the traditional technique of ʻUrushiʼ lacquering.
This traditional looking, creative design is Koshu-Indenʼs signature and atribute to the long standing history of crafts in Japan and speciﬁcally theYamanashi Prefecture.

sewingHighest quality leather sewing workby craftsmen
who are not scared of a challenge
The wallets are designed with utmost care to hold cards, money and otherdaily items. These wal-let designs have been created using extensive research
into design and customer needs. These de-signs make it easy to put in andtake out coins without damaging the leather and keeping the wal-lets shape infact. The wallets come in various sizes, patterns and types of leather. Each
type of leather has diﬀerent thickness and softness which gives each wallet aunique feel.

pro ﬁ leurushi coating

Inden Yamamoto Representative
Lacquered Deer Hide Leather craftsman

sewingproduceYusuke Yamamoto

Studio Kiichi Representative
Leatherworker

Kiichiro Katayama

Cement Produce Design Representative
Creative Director

The founder of Koshu Inden, Yamamoto

Kiichiroʼs family has been running a shoe store in

Graduated from Kyoto Seika Universityʼs Faculty ofKinnosuke, was Yusukeʼs grandfather. His father

Kobeʼs Motomachi since 1917. After graduating

Humanities. In 1999 started Cement Produce

Yama-moto Makoto is the creator and ﬁrst

university he worked at the FC headquarters asDesign. Tsutomu has since worked on large scale

Lacquered deer hide leatherworker in Japan.

merchandiser and learned about purchasing, sales

projects such as designing PARCO adverts, andYusuke started leather working professionally inplanning and managing product design, advertising

directing UNIQLOʼs ʻCorporate Collaboration

2001 and his vision for Koshu Inden is to continue

and distribution. After retiring from this job, Kiichiro

T-shirt ʼcampaign. He has been actively funding

the tradition while adapting to new times. Hewent to learn leather working. In 2010 he launchedand supporting local businesses and promoting

actively takes part in collaborations and exhibits,

ʻStudio Kiichiʼ which sells leather goods and works

local crafts. The work of Cement Produce Design

and works to make Inden more widely known andhard towards spreading the knowledge about themhas been featured on TV shows such as ʻGaiya nofamiliar.

aim to make leather goods a part of normal daily life.

Yoakeʼ and NHK World.

3-8-4, Asake, Kofu-shi, Yamanashi, JAPANTel. 055 233 1942 / Fax. 055 228 3922
HP. www.yamamoto-inden.com6-7-3, Tyuouku Motomachidori, Koubeshi,Hyogo, JAPANTel & Fax. 078 381 6786
HP. www.studiokiichi.com

OSAKA oﬃce / 3F, 1-15-23,Kyomachibori, Nishiku, Osaka, JAPAN
Tel. 06 6459 0368 / Fax. 06 6459 0365
TOKYO oﬃce / 3F Aoyama Flex, 5-2-16,
Minamiaoyama, Minatoku, Tokyo, JAPAN
Tel. 03 6427 4556 / Fax. 03 6427 4557
HP. www.cementdesign.com

Tsutomu Kanaya