Natural bristle body brush
$69
Feature
Miyakawa Hake Brush
Miyakawa Hake Brush Factory is a long-established company that has preserved its reliable techniques and traditions for over 90 years since its founding in 1921. The previous generation was recognized as a Contemporary Master Craftsman and a Tokyo Traditional Craftsman, and third-generation craftsperson Kumiko Miyakawa now carries on the tradition. Their hand-crafted brushes are highly durable and highly regarded by professional sites such as the Tokyo Station exterior wall construction project, as well as artists both in Japan and abroad. Their brushes are characterized by a commitment to quality that grows with use, something not found in mass-produced products.
What are Miyakawa Hake Brushes?
Founded in the artisan town of Motoasakusa, Miyakawa Hake Brush Factory is now run by third-generation craftsperson Kumiko Miyakawa, who has been manufacturing brushes for over 20 years. They offer over 600 types of brushes, carefully selected for their quality and quantity, using horse, pig, deer, and goat hair to suit specific applications. Because they are hand-planted, rather than machine-produced, their bristles remain tight and long-lasting, making them a unique feature. Some customers have even passed their products down through generations.
What makes this manufacturer's products so special
- Hand-Planted Durability: Unlike mass-produced brushes, hand-planted brushes do not spread, making shoe brushes durable enough to last for over 10 years in an average household.
- Carefully Selected Materials: Natural bristles (horse, pig, deer, goat, etc.) are used depending on the application, preventing damage to surfaces like nylon brushes.
- Improved Usability: Shoe polish and other ingredients become absorbed into the bristles with use, allowing for a clean finish without the need for heavy application of cream.
- Consistent Quality: Rather than creating something special, we focus on "always being able to produce the same product," striving to ensure consistent quality.
Lineup
Browse our range of Miyakawa Hake Brushes
The workshop
Tokyo, Japan
The previous owner, Akio Miyagawa, was recognized for his exceptional skills and was recognized as a "Contemporary Master Craftsman" and "Tokyo Traditional Craftsman." Currently, third-generation owner Kumiko Miyagawa, who has been involved in brush manufacturing for over 20 years, carries on his legacy. Rather than striving to create something special, Miyagawa says the most important thing in her work is "ensuring consistent quality each time" and "being able to consistently produce the same products." Because she wants to provide all of her products in a manner that satisfies customers, she is committed to providing them directly, rather than wholesale to art supply stores and other outlets that cannot properly explain their products.
Use cases
- Plastering: During the construction of the exterior walls of Tokyo Station, the foreman on site requested a brush that was "quickest to complete and most efficient," and many plastering brushes were used.
- Shoe polishing: In addition to being a favorite among professional shoe polishers, these brushes have also been used for many years in ordinary households.
- Woodblock printing: These brushes are highly acclaimed for their delicate woodblock work, with artists from Japan and abroad even visiting stores to purchase them.
- Clothing care: They are also used as clothing brushes.
FAQ
How do I care for my brushes?
Remove dust from the base of the brush with a toothpick or bamboo skewer. You can also remove dirt by using a brush cleaner or rubbing the brushes together.
Is it okay to wash them with water?
Avoid washing them with water. Not only will the dust harden and become more difficult to remove, but it may also be harmful to the bristles and cause the wood to crack.
Can I purchase them at an art supply store?
Not at an art supply store. Because all brushes are handmade and cannot be mass-produced, and because the store cannot properly explain the brushes, they insist on direct sales.