black enamel water for teeth Ohaguro-sui

Geisha's (engertainer) and Yuujo's (prostitute) painted their teeth black, and this ritual was called Ohaguro.


okuyama-sika.jp/oha.html

About the ritual Ohaguro
＊wikipedia


top from the left：rice syrup, salt, mirin, sugar
bottom from the left: rice mold, rusted metal, tea leaves

I needed 20 pieces of rusted metal nail. I had to get them from our ceiling that was built around 100 years ago.





burn the nails


and throw them in the hot tea water


rice mold


Let them ferment for 3 mth. When it starts to stink, it's ready! Paint the teeth with this liquid and Fushiko (powder made from urushi tree bump that contains a lot of tannin)

The principle of enamel: chemical reaction of metal & tannin.