Choosing the "Job" of a Traditional Craft Master—Yusuke Yamamoto, Third-Generation Koshu Inden Artisan

2026.03.18

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#Craftsman

#Yamanashi

#Koshu Inden

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#History

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Kofu, Yamanashi, a city that once prospered as a post town on the Koshu Kaido highway. This is the home of Koshu Inden, a craft passed down for over 400 years. Leading the three-generation workshop Inden no Yamamoto, Yusuke Yamamoto is an artisan who earned the title of Traditional Craft Master at the youngest age on record.

He is not only upholding exceptional techniques but is also taking on the challenge of rebuilding the craft from its very foundations—through modern business practices, digital integration, and the domestic sourcing of raw materials like deerskin and lacquer. To protect tradition, he believes in innovation. We sat down with the artisan designing the future of Koshu Inden to hear about his journey——.

PROFILE

Yusuke Yamamoto

Born in 1982 in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture. Third-generation head of "Inden no Yamamoto." After studying business administration at university, he joined the family business. In 2018, he was certified as a Koshu Inden Traditional Craft Master (General Division). While inheriting traditional lacquering techniques, he is also pioneering innovations such as digitalization, collaborations, and the use of domestically sourced raw materials.

Koshu Inden: Nurtured by the Koshu Kaido and Beloved in Edo

About 100 kilometers from the heart of Edo (modern-day Tokyo), down one of the five major highways connecting the capital to the provinces, lies Kofu in Yamanashi Prefecture. This bustling hub, with a rich flow of people and goods from Edo, is where Koshu Inden was nurtured.

"The first five Tokugawa shoguns were direct descendants of Ieyasu, but the sixth and seventh shoguns came from the Kofu domain. As a result, the shogun's retainers (hatamoto) traveled back and forth between Edo and Kofu frequently, which led to Kofu's prosperity. It seems Koshu Inden became a popular souvenir for people from Edo."

The Japanese use of deerskin dates back to the Jomon period. During the Sengoku (Warring States) period, it was used for armor and other military equipment. In the Edo period, these techniques were repurposed, giving birth to the craft of Koshu Inden.

"There are several theories about the origin of the name 'Inden,' but the most prominent one is that it's an abbreviation of 'Indo-denrai' (transmitted from India). The craft began by imitating Indian products using Japanese lacquer and deerskin. Initially, items were limited to small pouches and tobacco pipe cases, but the craft evolved with the times. From the Meiji era onward, artisans began producing bags, wallets, and clasp purses, which were new items introduced to Japan."

The workshop was founded in 1955. The founder, Kinnosuke Yamamoto, had trained as an Inden artisan before the war, but as the conflict intensified, it became increasingly difficult to produce Inden works.

"In 1941, four years before the end of the war, we were required to supply all deerskin to the state for use in filtering aviation fuel. The founder was also drafted as a soldier, tasked with repairing military uniforms and bags on the battlefield."

When the founder returned from the war, he found Kofu burnt to the ground from air raids. He used his Inden bag-making skills to manufacture school backpacks (randoseru) for children, saved up capital, and eventually established his company as Yamamoto Shoten.