Japan’s City of Gold Protects a Valuable Tradition

In the Japanese town of Kanazawa, everything glimmers in *gold*. The town is responsible for producing 99 percent of all the gold leaf in the country. The gold foil, known as kinpaku, is pounded down to 0.0001 millimeters and sold to local craftsmen to be used on bowls, chopsticks, statues and even food. For the artisans responsible for creating kinpaku, keeping a valuable tradition alive is its own reward.
This Great Big Story was inspired by Genesis.
SUBSCRIBE: goo.gl/vR6Acb
Got a story idea for us? Shoot us an email at hey [at] GreatBigStory [dot] com
Follow us behind the scenes on Instagram: goo.gl/2KABeX
Make our acquaintance on Facebook: goo.gl/Vn0XIZ
Give us a shout on Twitter: goo.gl/sY1GLY
Come hang with us on Vimeo: goo.gl/T0OzjV
Visit our world directly: www.greatbigstory.com

[@idontwannagetbanned]

These videos are so addictive

[@scelestus1353]

I know! I wish all ads were like this.

[@JangmiTsunami]

Real

[@samritchatterjee7002]

Agreed

[@umeshneeru1222]

Absolutely

[@chicken.wings.]

Yes

[@jargalbarsbold5667]

Imagine getting your thumb smashed by that machine

[@dove6069]

Barsbold Jargalnemekh lol

[@finestfragments]

*ass

[@SLACKLINEDUDE]

you are scaring me

[@milogumball5755]

.. Japanese tradition

[@sarisablack8544]

Hi

[@bebemomolou]

That's my city! Kanazawa literally means Golden Marsh ⭐ A fitting name for the city that makes nearly all the gold foil in Japan 😊 Thanks for visiting Great Big Story!

[@vibsh625]

@Rojm Rosales No

[@vibsh625]

@Rojm Rosales No way

[@vibsh625]

@Rojm Rosales Not at all my friend.

[@NaiefThegoony]

That's great , you live in a great place

[@justaburritoyeet8901]

Hi from amarica :3

[@jlkulbacki]

Wonder how many times that thing has smashed a finger

[@Mrlegitbeans]

Omg that's so cool! I just visited kanazawa today and I'm heading to tottori right now. The place is amazing and packed with culture. Awesome video!

[@matthewchow4991]

Can I stay with you?

[@caramelhuman7300]

Can I stay with you, after you move to stay with him.

[@nioh9477]

Mrlegitbeans are you on vacatation?

[@Mrlegitbeans]

Bart the Plug yep. Visiting relatives 🙂

[@rosegold973]

Lucky!!

[@lauzhenzhoa]

Is it legit so thin that it's edible?

[@kahlilhernandez7143]

Well, gold is non-reactive; so it's safe to eat.

[@chris-hayes]

Lau Zhen Zhoa I mean, I've eaten napkin before just for the heck of it. I'm pretty sure a lot things you could eat without side effect because your body effectively ignores it. But don't quote me on it

[@nigelmulliniz4021]

Lau Zhen Zhoa and it's cheap

[@MsCetinel]

Yes it is! I've had it before in this exact city. It kinda stick to you lips tho :p

[@awesomekitty89]

So you'll basically shits gold, eh? And flush it down the toilet.

[@Anoogh]

The editing is so cute! I've been to Kanazawa before with my mom before, I was overwhelmed with the amount of gold there. I'm so happy you made this video, my interest on how the gold is made has been quenched after three years.

[@Kaorukami31415]

This is one of the valuable traditional artwork in Japan. I love Kinpaku art.✨They look so special and gorgeous.

[@omw2fyb363]

These videos are great! Make them longer!😭

[@riolu8894]

Great Big World never fails to entertain me with mind blowing facts. Awesome stuff keep up the good work!! 😊

[@muhdhaziq2553]

A very interesting channel I like this :)

[@H-When]

I wish the video was longer, there's probably so much more to know about the topic

[@tuanngominh86]

So glad I've subscribed to this channel. Videos are awesome.

[@messed-upkid9877]

Love this channel

[@z_nadelle]

I've been here for a school trip. It's absolutely beautiful and I totally recommend coming here if you have the chance :)

[@user-fy7ce1wg8s]

I really wish these videos were longer :(

[@k.stokyo6100]

This is the quality of Japan 🇯🇵.

[@TheEmeraldMenOfficial]

Something I love about Japan. They’re culturally predisposed to perfectionism, to give their all at anything they attempt and see fault as failure: and it makes anything they do shine with passion and quality.

[@roy4816]

I visited Kanazawa without even knowing about it. But man Japan is such an amazing cultural hotpot with so many amazing stories and people should have cherished it more when i went there a few years back.

[@Gigi086]

Kanazawa is a beautiful place!

[@luizaz.hesketh7926]

You know what also is pure gold and silver? This channel! You guys deserve more subs

[@w.pattama.1377]

Oh my god Haruki is smilling

[@six______]

If that hits your hands Goodbye world

[@zouzoudeparis1354]

I visited it 13 years ago and would like to go back there superb castle and gardens

[@theletjewel9039]

Japan arts has real entusiasm and spirit. Lets support art and craft....

[@galacticgaming5058]

Very good video!

[@jaspirita]

So, new life goal. I wanna move to Japan and become this guy's apprentice and just make gold foil for the rest of my life.

[@jonkrade6644]

did you make it?

[@jaspirita]

@@jonkrade6644 Not yet :(

[@jonkrade6644]

@@jaspirita Nooooo i manifeest you'll make it one day

[@talibalghafri9544]

did you make it yet?

[@ChristianRumi]

YAY!!! I lived just outside of there for a school year... even went to the gold museum that he may work at (there were people dealing with the gold leaf down in the basement, and I was given some of the extra flakes by a worker there). And yes, there are allllll sorts of gold leaf souvenirs in Kanazawa, and you can get a tube of gold leaf flakes to put on desserts for only about $10. We in North America kind of overvalue things with gold leaf on them, as the gold leaf covered ice cream is pretty common in Kanazawa and ranges from $5-$10.

[@obamacare4255]

B00TY

[@Automedon2]

The amount of gold in gold leaf is minuscule. The weight of one of those sheets is almost as light as air - it disintegrates when you touch it if it isn't glued down. They cover the domes of some churches with it.

[@Mustafaismail22]

great video ❤️

[@awfullygenericname6783]

I want to taste gold Edit: actually eat gold (foil)

[@titavaughns7698]

Same

[@GosaiRan]

It actually has no taste :P and the texture is barely noticeable. It's just a pretty, pricey garnish that makes an otherwise-mediocre cappuccino cost $16.

[@nedisahonkey]

Lan Duong Haha this lady speaks the truth.

[@roy4816]

It just makes a food look good thats all.

[@theletjewel9039]

ofcourse :D , It has no taste because ıt is a metal. You can not take any elements by your tongue :D

[@michaelosborne5239]

Beautiful city.

[@JimboShogun0686]

One day I won't need subtitles I keep saying to my self

[@wheresbellaj2386]

Been there kanazawa has a really cool train station

[@ahsanchauhan2297]

Love Japan !!

[@grendelum]

This vid makes me love Japan and the Japanese people even more... and I already had a thing for them !!

[@kharaileinbach9426]

Do one on the "Liberty Walk"

[@lukasmihara]

0:02 "This here is a tiny owl. We call him "a rookie *whisper*" ...what?? 1:30 "Look, there's a rookie" ..? :/ 2:02 Haruki? Is it's name supposed to be Haruki..?

[@saritharamu6506]

The whisper was Wow he is shiny If that you s ur question And the first to times he tells haruki but it sounds like rookie

[@lukasmihara]

That was not my question.

[@petervo9894]

Wow the owl seems like it has more worth than me

[@kameswaripeddakotla818]

2:00 every family photo 😂😂

[@perialis2970]

1:43 China: ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT

[@the_pureindian]

1:43 Germany 🇩🇪 : Are you sure about that

[@sarkaniemi]

Cool!

[@kinakk6260]

Gold gold everywhere ✨

[@COOKIE-wo2jb]

Awesome

[@dulphinanson2732]

“Japan is the country of production.” China: Hold my beer

[@fireredtheredfire1050]

Not anymore.

[@colcobird]

China is the country of cheap/copy production.

[@jumpvelocity3953]

@@colcobird It is now, but in the past, it wasn't.

[@bebemomolou]

@dulphinanson2732 That was actually a mistranslation on the channel's part. The word Mr. Matsumura used was "craft" or "craftsmanship", not "production".

[@crisrose9707]

I saw a Hyundai Genesis the other day and I thought "wouldent it be great it we visited this small town in japan that makes gold foil and is the only place left in japan that does.Lets also get a small owl and make it a mascot for the video we will make about this place as well as doing extra research so that we can really inform the people who will watch this video." Thank you for inspiring me Genesis.

[@Mazequax]

Wow shiny!

[@amyw4877]

Love u haruki xx

[@edgehasbeenlost]

_This exlains why I kept seeing golden owls in my trip to Japan..._

[@trialbyfire9945]

I want that owl

[@3amdr3am]

the owl ... so cute

[@gustavraas6619]

1:42 the poor guy looks like somboddy is pointing a gun to his face 😂

[@communistjesus]

The tiny owl Horuki & a good luck cat for XMAS.. PLEASE...

[@cabbage4254]

THESE people should feel proud.

[@uwubutnotuwu8921]

So we can say all lf those gold got "foiled" hehe he he

[@nanastarnana]

The golden temple is gold too🤩

[@surfdetective]

Another golden moment

[@KimseaKh]

Really want to try gold ice cream.

[@KuldeepKumar-fr5uw]

I absolutely LOVE japan😍

[@autumnkim2756]

Haruki!❤️☺️

[@caratlove4107]

This is charming, but I wished you guys showed a local craftsman and asked about their art too. It just seems more fitting if there were two.

[@rollingonions5509]

Haruki⭐️

[@ethypoo]

We stan for this.

[@shannarafryer3111]

I want to go there

[@beesbeesbees9668]

HARUKI KAWAII !!! lol

[@meower808]

Haruki is best boio.

[@saloni379]

I have eaten silver foil many times (thanks to my favourite sweets kajubarfi from my beloved homeland India) It is pretty much safe (also kajubarfi is very expensive so, there's no chance that i'll eat it too much.)

[@iLoveTurtlesHaha]

OMG, everyone in Japan takes pride in what they do. I want to move there. XD

[@kristinag7391]

I would like one of those owls for my collection

[@freechildlabour.mp3733]

Fun fact: Japan’s Kinkaku-Ji temple THANG has a gold layering that is one 2,000th of a millimeter thick

[@CaneSugarCane]

What is a haruki? And what does the cat with the arm in the air mean?

[@JP-ll9yk]

I love how modest Asian cultures are. They don't need huge homes or fancy cars or the latest phone. I wished we were more like that here in America. If you told someone you made gold foil for a living here, you'd be ridiculed by many. Keep doing what you're doing, Asian cultures, cause y'all are winning in the modesty game.

[@henryljr691]

I love gold very much.

[@gameender8239]

Haruki sempaiiiii

[@epiccheesecat]

Shiny owl freindo!

[@xcalibrx1653]

Kazanawa's curry is liquid gold.

[@sunglassdubsteps5268]

I know what you did there lol

[@owaisahmed3303]

That man speeking has an addiction with rookie owl lol

In Vietnam we do the same but more manual

[@user-wn2oe]

I would die for haruki

[@codybitme]

i remember my time in japan where we were given expensive icecream with gold sprinkles. I didnt believe at first but now I think I do...

[@envymachine6120]

Haruki-Kun!!!

[@balls7809]

Where do they get the gold?

[@ronakshah1990]

Gold and silver foil is also very common in India. We use it on various items, including on sweets and desserts.

[@undomiel972]

I really love Japan's own unique sense of culture and tradition. They're overflowing with it and Japanese people respect it so much it shines in whatever they do and say. I wish my country could say the same.

[@curtisguan830]

I think of a hermit crab when I hear shiny.

[@viktornlklforovwoozworld3262]

DAMN THATS LOTS OF GOLDS

[@Awk_potats]

In India we gold foil on sweets all the time gold and silver foils "all the time" if you are rich. Alot of sweet shop's uses gold and silver foils on their sweets mostly silver.

[@justahumanwithamask4089]

So the duolingo bird name's haruki... Interesting

[@garychadluayon270]

Here in Saudi were am I working we used edible gold foil from Japan. We used it to decorating the cakes.

[@majermike]

how much does a sheet cost?

[@PaleRejent]

1:41 before Japan was a nation of war TENNOHEIKA BANZAI

[@absentreverie]

i want my own heruki

[@batya7]

I would have preferred a deeper treatment of the topic.

[@icampos89]

So what makes the gold leaf any different or gilding than the one made all over the world?

[@MrJohndk143]

It's considered the thinnest, and made more or less by hand.

[@kermitgenoside7731]

I want to eat gold wrapped ice cream now

[@nevertoast306]

At least that's thicker than my school toilet paper

[@dr4aces]

The narrator is one of the guy's from sci-show?

[@vkeykanesan9309]

When you think you know all about Japan. This guys comes with "bet you didnt know this.." Hotdaang!

[@reynandr.w.279]

Haruki is so damn cute

[@theretardedamericanchild4905]

why the fuck would i put paper on top of my icecream

[@nhimcon6750]

gonzales Sorto ooooooh boi you dont know

[@theretardedamericanchild4905]

Mr Teepawt still its fucking paper

[@theretardedamericanchild4905]

nhim con its still fucking paper

[@audreywhalen5141]

I agree even though it's thinner and gold, gold doesn't taste good. We can rule out that it makes people feel fancy because it's so commonly used. I guess because people who eat that stuff are dumb?

[@titavaughns7698]

I'd eat it

[@himanshukumarmaurya7326]

Hi I am Kenechi from Ninza Hattori.

[@drewfriesen9025]

Would have been nice if you explained how they made it a bit better