We have a history of over 100 years, starting with the production of pastels to fulfill the desire of artists who believe "Japanese landscapes cannot be depicted with European pastels."
We continuously pursue improvements in color, texture, and safety considerations regarding materials used. Our quality has received high praise not only domestically but also in overseas markets such as Asia, Europe, and America.
We select reusable materials for our products and reuse manufacturing residues in subsequent production cycles. We make the best efforts to minimize waste (Zero Waste) in the manufacturing process.
In early 20th century Japan, pastels were entirely imported as there were no domestically produced options. However, the initiative to domesticate pastel production began with a request from a certain artist, Chiyoji Yazaki (1872-1947). While sketching during his travels, Yazaki recognized the utility of pastels and envisioned popularizing pastel painting across Japan. However, relying solely on imported pastel products had its limitations. Imported pastels often lacked the desired colors for replenishment, had limited shades suitable for depicting Japanese landscapes, and were prone to breakage.
Therefore, Yazaki advocated to produce domestically made pastels.
Through acquaintances, he met Isonosuke Hazama, (1888-1965), who was manufacturing solid watercolors. Upon hearing Yazaki's request to create pastels suitable for depicting Japan, Hazama decided to embark on pastel production.
Responding to Yazaki's request, Hazama founded Ohkan Kagaku Kogyosyo in Kyoto in 1919 at the age of 31, dedicating efforts to the development of domestic pastels. The choice of Kyoto as the founding location is said to have been influenced by strategic considerations such as material sourcing.
Through trial and error, Hazama successfully created pastels that met Yazaki's vision, featuring colors suitable for depicting Japan's landscape, shorter and easier-to-use sizes without paper wrapping, and a flexible quality that allowed for expressive strokes.
Hazama named this pastel trademark "Gondola Pastel" after a pastel painting of a gondola gifted by Yazaki, with the mark depicting a gondola motif inspired by Venice. In 1926, upon returning from Europe, Yazaki conducted pastel workshops in Tokyo and Osaka using this pastel set, aiming to promote pastel painting across Japan.
Hazama's "Gondola Pastel" was warmly welcomed by domestic pastel enthusiasts as an essential tool. Subsequently, Hazama expanded the color range and released a set of 240 colors.
Easy to carry and enabling artists to draw simply by choosing colors, these pastels gained support from both professional and amateur artists who emphasized sketching and color expression. While several pastel manufacturing facilities emerged, many were forced to close due to war damage, leaving our company as the sole soft pastel specialist manufacturer in Japan.
Currently, we produce 242 colors of soft pastels. While the hues have evolved over time to meet pigment usage regulations and changing needs, they still embody the reliable quality and color craftsmanship of the Gondola Pastel, integrating Yazaki's ideals with Hazama’s research findings. We continue to create Japanese pastels with a spirit of exploration and dedication to color development.
Chiyoji Yazaki was a Japanese Western-style painter. He graduated from Tokyo Bijutsu Gakko (now Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts). In 1904, he traveled to the United States and later toured various European countries, creating numerous oil paintings before returning to Japan.
Around 1918, he became fascinated with pastel painting, which he encountered in Europe, and traveled to over 20 countries in his lifetime, including India, Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America. He captured landscapes encountered during his travels in pastel paintings and held solo exhibitions around the world.
In 1938, he traveled to Manchuria and stayed in Beijing, where he developed a close friendship with Xu Beihong before passing away at the age of 75. Yazaki's collection of 1008 pastel paintings is still housed at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in China.
Yazaki advocated for his unique technique of "color sketching" using pastels, capturing the essence of landscapes down to their very breath. Furthermore, as a pioneer in promoting pastel painting as an accessible medium for everyone, he played a leading role in advancing pastel art in Japan and contributed to its dissemination not only in Japan but also in various regions where he stayed.
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