Genda Shigyō () is a Japanese
paper production
The pulp and paper industry comprises companies that use wood, specifically pulpwood, as raw material and produce pulp, paper, paperboard, and other cellulose-based products.
Manufacturing process
In the manufacturing process, pulp is introd ...
company
A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...
which has produced ceremonial paper goods such as ''
mizuhiki,'' gift wrapping and betrothal gifts since 771. It is often known as one of the oldest still-operating companies in the world.
History
Genda Shigyō is said to have been founded in 771 (
Hōki
was a after '' Jingo-keiun'' and before ''Ten'ō''. This period spanned the years from October 770 through January 781. The reigning emperor was .
Change of era
* 770 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events. The p ...
2) during the
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capita ...
(710-794). With the relocation of the capital to
Kyoto
Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
, the business moved as well. In the late
Edo period
The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...
, the Genda family took over the business of Zenbei Yagi and established Yagi Zen Genda Shoten. During the Meiji period, until mizuhiki became widespread among the general public, the company’s mizuhiki was supplied exclusively to the Imperial Court. In 1986 (
Shōwa 61), Genda Paper Industry Co., Ltd. was established. Up until the prewar era, mizuhiki production was carried out at the current location. Today, the company handles products made with mizuhiki, ceremonial items such as betrothal gifts, and the wholesale and printing of various other paper products.
See also
*
Japanese craft
Traditional in Japan have a long tradition and history. Included in the category of traditional crafts are handicrafts produced by an individual or a group, as well as work produced by independent studio artists working with traditional craft mat ...
*
List of oldest companies
The oldest companies in the world are the brands and companies which remain operating (either in whole or in part) since inception, excluding associations and List of oldest universities in continuous operation, educational, government, or relig ...
*
List of Traditional Crafts of Japan
References
External links
*
Pulp and paper companies of Japan
{{DEFAULTSORT:Genda Shigyō