Dai-shigotoThe Fude making process

6 Neri-maze (Mixing)

“Neri-maze” is a process of arranging the hair by soaking it in the water, so that there will be no irregularity when the hair is put together as a Fude head. The “Kure” is taken apart and the hair is laid flat thinly. Then the hair is mixed well by repeatedly folding it. Any unusable hair is removed, and the hair is trimmed and combed. The quality of the hair is examined thoroughly, and the hair is glued together with “Funori” (seaweed glue) and laid out flat and put together as a flat sheet called “Hirame”.

7 “Shintate” (Making the core of Fude)

“Shintate” is a process of forming the hair into the shape of a Fude head. Hirame was divided into separate clusters, each with enough amount of hair to make up one Fude. Then, a cluster of hair is inserted into the Fude collar called “Koma”, and the hair was made into the shape of Fude of appropriate size, which forms a core of the Fude head.
Unnecessary hair is again taken out by hands.

8 “Koromo-ge”

The hair wrapped around the core of a Fude head is called “Koromoge”. The hair selected for “Koromoge” is of better quality than the hair used for the Fude head. After the hair for “Koromoge” went through the same processes as the core of Fude head, the Koromoge is ready to be wrapped around the core.
Putting the Koromoge evenly around the core of a Fude head requires the most sophisticated skills. After the Koromoge is nicely put on the Fude head, it is dried naturally. Then the dried Fude head is tied with linen thread at the root.

9 “Itojime” (Tying the thread)

After the knot at the end of the thread is singed and firmly secured, the Fude head is complete.