COHANA – Marking Pins with Glass Beads

Mysterious “tombo-dama” (glass beads), their production method already established by the Nara period (which began in 710 A.D.), using closely-guarded techniques. It is said that in the Edo period (1603-1868 A.D.), with much trade arriving from China and Europe, glass-making techniques from abroad were also entering the stream, and the production of “tombo-dama” became even more varied. Cohana’s marking pins are handmade with care, one-by-one, using tombo-dama techniques. The f oral designs for these tombo-dama are called “millefiori,” meaning “a thousand flowers.” The components are heated in the f lame from a burner, and carefully shaped. The pins are made in Hiroshima, an area famous for their production, so they sew smoothly.