SEIKO PRESAGE Seeking the Origins of Presage Craftsmanship in Aichi

Seiko Presage brings time-honored craftsmanship and a uniquely Japanese aesthetic to the world through its watches. Join us on a journey to Aichi, land of castles and samurai, arts and artisans, the historical center of the famous Japanese Shippo enamel that gave birth to the magnificent Seiko Presage Shippo Enamel Dial model.

Seiko Presage
Craftsmanship series
Shippo Enamel Dial

History preserved through
cloisonné enamel: a sparkle of time

Seiko produced Japan’s first wristwatch in 1913 and celebrates 110 years of watchmaking through its Presage Craftsmanship series. The Shippo Enamel Dial model is a collaboration between Seiko's mechanical movement manufacturing and the precious art of Shippo enamel, which is a highly sophisticated type of enamel made from a technique called Shippo-yaki, a tradition that has been kept for more than 190 years by Nagoya masters. The term “Shippo” meaning “seven treasures” was given to the enamel for its beauty. See it radiate its allure on your wrist!

Owari-Aichi, homeland of famous samurai and Shippo cloisonné enamel

The cloisonné technique was refined over centuries and spread along the Silk Road all the way to Japan. In 1833, Tsunekichi Kaji, the son of a samurai from the Owari domain, what is now western Aichi Prefecture, initiated the Shippo enamel technique by studying foreign cloisonné brought to Japan by the Dutch. Shippo enamel became popular and Owari became the center of production.
Following its introduction at the Paris Expo in 1867, Japanese Shippo enamel was displayed at many World Expos. Many artisans from Aichi received awards for their works, spreading the fame of Owari Shippo enamelware.
Now let’s embark on an enlightening journey around Aichi Prefecture. From the mountains in the north to the clear blue ocean waters of Ise Bay and Mikawa Bay in the south, there is much beautiful nature to appreciate. In Nagoya, learn about the famous samurais who lived there and their love for art and luxury to better understand the story behind the colors, aesthetics, and precious materials of the Seiko Presage Shippo Enamel Dial model!

The remains of a glorious past
at the roots of the Edo period

Have you heard of the powerful shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu? This famous warlord set up his power base in Edo (present-day Tokyo) and controlled the entirety of Japan. His Nagoya Castle, much like Louis XIV’s Palace of Versailles, was an ode to beauty. The highlight of this magnificent structure is the adjacent Hommaru Palace, a luxurious residence originally for the Owari feudal lord and later the private lodging house for the shogun when he visited. Adorning its walls are decorative paintings made by the Kano school, the largest and one of the most famous schools of Japanese painting from the Muromachi period (1336-1568) through the Edo period (1603-1868). Don’t miss the ferocious-looking tigers and leopards on gold leaf at the entrance, through to the Shogun Quarters, where every element is a delight to the eye. Before leaving the grounds, make sure to take another look at the roof of the main castle keep and marvel at the two glorious gold tiger-fish ornaments (Kinshachi), the very symbol of the Tokugawa dynasty’s wealth through the ages.
The Hommaru Palace was destroyed in an air raid in 1945. However, the 1,047 paintings on the fusuma (sliding doors) and ceiling panels were removed during the war and safely preserved in storage. In addition, a large amount of data from surveys and measurements carried out in the Showa period (1926-1989) made it possible to faithfully restore the building. Restoration work began in 2009 and continues to this day. Restoration of Shippo enamel used for the fusuma fittings and other items was handled by Ando Cloisonne, which produces the Presage Shippo Enamel Dial. Since 2018, this graceful palace has been open to the public for viewings.
The Sumiyagura (corner turret) still exists as it was when it was built around 1612.
A Japanese garden is located east of Nagoya Castle. Highly regarded as a masterpiece, it demonstrates the garden culture of the Owari clan.

Originally a retirement residence built in 1695 by Mitsutomo Tokugawa (1625-1700), the second lord of the Owari Tokugawa family, Tokugawaen Garden has all the elegance of a Japanese garden. The pristine waters flowing from the waterfall through ravines to the serene pond symbolize the Japanese landscape, from the mountains to the ocean, and the seasonal flowers, such as peonies and irises are beautiful. Book a table at the restaurant overlooking the pond to delight in viewing the Japanese garden while enjoying Japanese-style hospitality.

Adjacent to the Tokugawaen Garden is the Tokugawa Art Museum, boasting the Owari Tokugawa family collection from the Edo period. The Museum houses world-famous and precious cultural treasures, such as the Tale of Genji Illustrated Scrolls, a national treasure. Since Tokugawa Yoshinao (1600-1650), the first lord of the Owari Tokugawa, the family was devoted to both literary and military arts. It left behind many cultural assets preserving and transmitting the dignity of the samurai and the Japanese sense of beauty.

Welcome to Inuyama Castle, the oldest castle of the five national treasure castles of Japan (only twelve original feudal castles remain standing in the country). This is a masterpiece of samurai castle architecture, so be ready to be blown away by the breathtaking view from the keep at the top, overlooking the fast-flowing Kiso River and the surrounding valleys. On the horizon, the futuristic buildings of the city of Nagoya emerge from a distant fog; on the opposite side, the highest peaks of the Japanese Alps loom to complete the unique scenery.

Travel back to times of splendor. Look for images of the castle in cherry blossom season, and if you have the chance to travel there, definitely stroll the old town below. It is still laid out exactly as it was during the Edo Period in the 17th century, with its old main street full of amusements. Here you can rent kimonos and take lovely pictures while enjoying some rice cake delicacies.

Welcome to Inuyama Castle, the oldest castle of the five national treasure castles of Japan (only twelve original feudal castles remain standing in the country). This is a masterpiece of samurai castle architecture, so be ready to be blown away by the breathtaking view from the keep at the top, overlooking the fast-flowing Kiso River and the surrounding valleys. On the horizon, the futuristic buildings of the city of Nagoya emerge from a distant fog; on the opposite side, the highest peaks of the Japanese Alps loom to complete the unique scenery.

Travel back to times of splendor. Look for images of the castle in cherry blossom season, and if you have the chance to travel there, definitely stroll the old town below. It is still laid out exactly as it was during the Edo Period in the 17th century, with its old main street full of amusements. Here you can rent kimonos and take lovely pictures while enjoying some rice cake delicacies.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), Nagoya was situated along the famous Tokaido route, between vibrant, new Edo (present-day Tokyo) and traditional Kyoto. There was a famous village nearby, called Arimatsu, where artisans engaged in the production of tie-dyed cotton cloth (shibori), all handmade. Four hundred years later you can still explore Arimatsu’s main street scenery, immortalized on a woodcut print by ukiyo-e artist Hiroshige in his internationally acclaimed landscape series “Fifty-three stations of the Tokaido” depicting all the inn towns between Edo and Kyoto.
At the village museum, craftspeople with traditional techniques passed down to them through past generations will teach you how to use unfamiliar tools to sew, wrap, and fold fabric into magical patterns. Don’t miss the characteristic anti-fire roof architecture of the main street, and take a walk alone at night, when time stops and history comes alive.
Small walls built on roofs to prevent the spread of fire from neighboring houses, udatsu extend out on both sides of buildings. Udatsu gradually became more decorative and a sign of wealth and success due to their expensive installation.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), Nagoya was situated along the famous Tokaido route, between vibrant, new Edo (present-day Tokyo) and traditional Kyoto. There was a famous village nearby, called Arimatsu, where artisans engaged in the production of tie-dyed cotton cloth (shibori), all handmade. Four hundred years later you can still explore Arimatsu’s main street scenery, immortalized on a woodcut print by ukiyo-e artist Hiroshige in his internationally acclaimed landscape series “Fifty-three stations of the Tokaido” depicting all the inn towns between Edo and Kyoto.
At the village museum, craftspeople with traditional techniques passed down to them through past generations will teach you how to use unfamiliar tools to sew, wrap, and fold fabric into magical patterns. Don’t miss the characteristic anti-fire roof architecture of the main street, and take a walk alone at night, when time stops and history comes alive.
Small walls built on roofs to prevent the spread of fire from neighboring houses, udatsu extend out on both sides of buildings. Udatsu gradually became more decorative and a sign of wealth and success due to their expensive installation.

Japan's path to modernization, Western influences, and romance

At the end of the 19th century, an old former samurai quarter in Nagoya was transformed into an avant-garde neighborhood known as the “Cultural Path.” Its buildings are a protected cultural heritage: Belle Époque houses from the early 20th century, churches, and small museums. A place where Eastern and Western design and architecture meet. While you walk the path of Japan's modernization, please make a stop at the Futaba Museum, the former residence of the first modern actress in Japan, Sadayakko Kawakami.
During a time of rice fields, old wooden houses, and oil lamps and gas lights, her glamorous Western-style palace was entirely lit at night with little electric torchlights, like a scene out of a fairy tale. The main hall is bathed in a veritable kaleidoscope of colors from rare stained-glass windows, a style that the actress brought back from Western countries, where she was once the coveted muse of Picasso and Rodin.

An untouched paradise at the southern tip of Aichi

Minami Chita, recognized as one of the top 100 "Green Destinations" in the world as a cleaned-up beach town, might be one of the best-kept secrets of tourism in Japan. At the southernmost point of the Chita peninsula, thirty minutes from Chubu Centrair International Airport, is an untamed paradise full of delicious strawberries and tangerines. Ride a bike along the seashore or jump on a fishing boat to try catching sea bass. With about 1.6 kilometers of fine white sand, Utsumi Beach is the longest and one of the most coveted swimming spots on the renowned Ise Bay. Himakajima, off the Chita Peninsula, is where Nagoya city gourmets go to enjoy a famous octopus cuisine. Sea bream, puffer fish, shrimp, and whitebait are also known to be good and served at restaurants around the Minami Chita region.
Over the past few years, this pristine coastline has attracted students and families from Southeast Asia who take part in beginners’ oceanography trips. Hurry up, this paradise is still relatively unknown, even to Japanese tourists!

A futuristic park that seems ready to be launched into space!

Oasis 21 is much more than a modern park featuring cherry and maple trees in the bustling city center of Nagoya. Its unusual three-level structure reminds us of a futuristic space station, and it’s no coincidence that the floating top floor is named “Spaceship-Aqua” for its enormous glass pool.
When lit up at night, it becomes a vivid and beautiful night view that was once voted the second most photogenic spot in Japan by foreign tourists.
Filtered and sterilized groundwater and rainwater are used for the environmentally friendly glass pool, which reduces radiant heat and creates an evaporating mist cooling effect, making the pool a natural cooler in summer.

Learning the art of Owari Shippo

Ama city, on the outer rim of the Nagoya megalopolis, was the original location where Shippo enamel artisans thrived in mid-19th century Japan. Today this history is commemorated at the Shippo Art Village Museum, where you can admire many masterpieces of that period, and at the facility’s Shippo enamel workshop, where you can make your own Shippo enamel handicraft! Your hand might tremble using the tiny wooden stick to apply colors and patterns to a very thin metal accessory, but the teacher will help you and you will take home a fabulous souvenir!

Miso is the basis of Aichi food culture

Miso, fermented soybean paste, is an internationally recognized superfood full of umami and healthy nutrients. It is often prepared as a soup at breakfast, but in Nagoya it is served with the locals’ favorite noodles, udon, and is enjoyed any time of the day in a simmering hot pot with raw egg topping and vegetables called miso nikomi udon.
Nagoya people pride themselves on using Hatcho-miso, a delicate red soybean paste fermented for three years and made of locally grown premium ingredients. Some restaurants even offer halal and vegan versions of the dish for their foreign customers.

High-class restaurants in Nagoya began serving hitsumabushi to their customers 100 years ago and it has been a local favorite ever since. Hitsumabushi is fresh eel grilled over red hot charcoal, slathered in a tamari-based sauce, and then laid on steaming rice in thinly cut strips.
To eat, first enjoy the eel plain and simple with only rice to appreciate the quality. After a few bites, try adding the condiments of wasabi, dried seaweed, and green onion, and finally pour in some broth or green tea to transform it into a delicious soup! Enjoy the delightful flavors while experiencing the unique Nagoya style of eating grilled eel.

Kyoto is known for its traditional tea houses. Tokyo has its exquisite sushi bars. Osaka prides itself on all sorts of gourmet fast food. However, for Nagoya, its source of pride has to be its breakfast culture, called “morning service.” When you order your morning coffee at a café, you are also served toast and a hard-boiled egg. This unique gourmet culture started in the 1960s, and a local favorite is the quite filling red bean paste on toast (Ogura toast).

True value manifests over time

Wataru Totani, Shippo Enamel Craftsman

The Seiko Presage Shippo Enamel Dial model's dial is made by Ando Cloisonne in Nagoya, one of the foremost Shippo enamel manufacturers in Japan with over 140 years of experience. Craftsperson Wataru Totani paints the glaze by hand onto the surface of the dial. It is a painstakingly difficult endeavor requiring the utmost concentration, in which the thickness is no more than one millimeter.

Totani has been at Ando Cloisonne since he fell in love with Shippo enamel during a high school internship experience. “Applying glaze to metalworks seemed magical to me.” After 18 years in the company, he is even more in awe of the Shippo enamel ware: “These are pieces which never age!”

In his mind, Japanese Shippo enamel is the best in the world, maybe because it bloomed late in the 19th century, so many lessons had already been learned.

Totani is a Nagoya native, and for him it is obvious why Shippo enamel culture thrived in his home city, where there has always been a definite taste for precious art and beauty. “Since feudal times, we have liked it shiny here,” Totani admits with a laugh. When asked how he would like people to make use of Owari Shippo ware, he states without hesitation: “Shippo has to breathe, it has to be seen and admired. I like the idea that people make use of my [art] pieces in their daily life.”

Totani is particularly thankful to the Seiko Presage Shippo Enamel Dial model adventure; for him, it brings a historical tradition and endangered noble art to the contemporary world. There is no better way to perpetuate a culture than to carry it on one's wrist!

The signature of the Shippo enamel dial is the way in which a clear, single color, through repeated painting, can take on a profound depth that can enhance the complex pattern engraved on the base. The glaze shrinks slightly after firing and is therefore applied thicker around the perimeter.
To ensure that the dial complies with Seiko’s ecological pledge, Ando Cloisonne uses a lead-free glaze specially formulated for these watches. “It is our bond with the environment,” Totani proudly states.
The dial's silver surface is polished until it shines, then the glaze is applied.
Totani delicately crushes the glaze base, a multicomponent glass also known as frit, with a mortar and pestle.
The Presage Shippo dial's deep dark blue glaze is a rare kind that isn't used for regular Shippo enamel production.

The dial is then fired at 800 degrees Celsius. Finding the right temperature was a long process of trial and error. The painting and firing processes are repeated several times to ensure the evenness of the Shippo enamel.
The piece is a burning bright red as it is removed from the electric furnace. As it cools, the color changes to a beautiful dark green and then to an indigo blue.
After it has cooled completely, the surface is smoothed with a special tool and glazed again. The blue color is darker after the last firing (right) than after the first firing (left).

The process is carried out using a special polishing machine expressly designed for Presage. The back side of the dial is polished first by pressing it against a range of circular polishing stones lined in a tray filled with water. Once perfectly smooth, the front side is polished. The process requires a delicate touch at all times.
The finished dial is carefully inspected for impurities and imperfections. Only after having passed strict quality control measures is it allowed to be used. The ultimate in delicacy and skill underpins the exceptional value of this watch.

110 Celebrating 110 Years of Watchmakeing

An homage to
the deep blue sea

The sea brought world culture, art, and technology to Japan. Shippo enamel was one of these arrivals that evolved into something unique, becoming one of Japan's traditional crafts. The Seiko Presage Shippo Enamel Dial model pays homage to the sea. The deep blue of the Shippo enamel expresses the seas of Japan, while the dial pattern echoes the continuous motion of the waves that break on the shores of the land of the rising sun.
The use of environmentally friendly lead-free glaze for the dial is an example of Seiko’s commitment to manufacturing products that have a minimal environmental impact. Only 800 limited edition watches will be manufactured.

Did you enjoy our journey to explore Aichi’s rich history and art? We hope that it inspired you and provided new insight into this special timepiece, the Seiko Presage Shippo Enamel Dial model. Shippo enamel is rare and a true treasure of Japan’s artisanal world. Through this special watch, there is a unique chance to be part of this noble heritage and to help this centuries-old, endangered tradition endure.

We look forward to taking you with us again on new adventures that lie ahead!