Conservation / Restoration

Our specialty “hyoso” (mounting) refers to a wide variety of Japanese methods for presenting and protecting artworks on paper or silk. This includes hanging scrolls, rolled hand scrolls, screens, door panels, and wall paintings.

The word “hyoso” combines two kanji(Japanese/Chinese characters) "hyo" (表), meaning surface; and "so" (装), meaning dress up.

We endeavour to breathe life into the artworks. Therefore it is very important to select the appropriate colours and materials in order to bring out the full flavour of the traditional arts and crafts.

The mounting techniques that we use have a long history that dates back to when Buddhists first arrived in Japan in the 6th century. Without a profound understanding and knowledge of conventions and traditions of mounting techniques, it is not possible to convey the fullest appreciation of an artwork.

We use local natural resources for our genuine handcrafted methods. For example, traditional Japanese handmade paper (washi), natural starch glue (furunori/shinnori), and spring water.