Mibu no Tadami

Our fifth poet this year, Mibu no Tadami, lived in the Heian period, and was also a member of that other famous group of poets, the 'Sanju Rokkasen' (36 Poets). His father is also included in the Hyaku-nin Isshu, and it won't be too long before you'll be seeing his print ... it's coming up next year!

'Once upon a time' I read a book about Japan which described various temples that performed some kind of ceremony for 'used' things. I think one temple specialized in used sewing needles, another in old dolls, and still others in all manner of objects that had outlived their usefulness. The things in question were brought to the temple, some kind of prayer of thanks for their dedicated service was given, and they were then burnt in a ritual. I think I might have laughed at this idea when I first read about it, but recently I've been wondering ... is there a temple somewhere specializing in used printmaking tools?

You see, I have a bit of a problem with some of mine. I would like to find a way to 'honourably' say good-bye to those tools that are just too worn out to use any longer. The bamboo skin covering my baren becomes thin and torn, the small 'tokibo' brushes used to transfer pigment to the blocks lose hair and can no longer carry enough colour, the knife blades gradually become just too short to fit into the handle, and so on ... Why should this be a problem? This is just a natural part of the process, isn't it? When a tool is 'used up', simply throw it out and get a replacement. Well, please don't laugh at me for admitting this, but I seem to somehow develop an attachment to these various tools, and always procrastinate when it comes time to replace them. I just don't like to throw away things that have shared so many hours at work together with me. I keep using them beyond the point at which they should be 'retired', and sometimes quite a long way beyond that point ... It's quite silly really. My first priority should be the quality of the prints, and ease of working. I should be quite 'heartless' about this, and throw them away at the first sign of wear. But I don't ...

It's much the same with my clothes. I keep them much too long, and always manage to find excuses for not going shopping to replace them. It's nothing to do with money, and I'm sure if I were a millionare, it would be no different. It's simply that I enjoy living and working with these 'old friends', and feel saddened when they come to the end of the line ...

Are you laughing at me now? I suppose you are. This silly guy who 'feels sorry' for tools ... (But if any of you know of a place where I can take them to 'send them off' honourably, please let me know!)

July 1994

Translation - Tom Galt