Collection

The first copper type in Japan was made by HAYASHI, Razan and KONCHI-IN, Suden,under the orders of TOKUGAWA, Ieyasu. A total of over 110,000 characters, based on copper type imported from Korea, were produced in Fushimi (Kyoto) and Sunpu (present day Shizuoka) on three separate occasions. Most ware lost in fires in later years and only 38,000 remain today. This copper type provides valuable testament of TOKUGAWA, Ieyasu's efforts to govern Japan using the "power of words over weapons."