About IWA-ENOGU

Iwa-enogu are paints made mainly from crushed natural minerals. These mineral pigments are said to have been introduced to Japan, along with paper and ink, by monks from the Korean Peninsula in the 7th century.
Gunjyo, made from blue azurite, and rokushou, made from green malachite, have been used for more than 1,400 years without any change to the process.

A greenish-blue mineral pigment created by nature over tens of thousands of years. Malachite is highly durable, murals from around the 7th century painted with malachite have retained their beautiful color without fading.

Recently many iwa-enogu are produced by a synthetic process. However, all the mineral pigments used at Hanamokko are made from natural minerals, including turquoise and malachite.

The dial of a Hanamokko timepiece comes in a total of 12 colors. We use a course-grained mineral pigment, so that the characteristic of each natural mineral can be recognized. The particles sparkle and shine giving a unique charm not found in ordinary paints.