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    Japan's traditional crafts are struggling to survive the country's population decline

    The city of Kanazawa produces most of Japan's fine gold leaf, but there aren't enough young people to take over the craft. The same situation is playing out for small family businesses across Japan.
    by Jackie Northam Jul 29, 2022 3 minutes
    Yoshikazu Netsuno (left) watches his son Shinichi hammer a thick stack of specialized paper. In between each sheet is a thin layer of gold leaf. "My son is going to take over this business, so in our case, we had a successor," Netsuno says. "Many other artisans' families in Kanazawa were not so lucky."

    KANAZAWA, Japan — In a cramped room, Shinichi Netsuno sits cross-legged on a thin mat and guides a stack of specialized paper as it's pounded by a mechanical hammer. In between each sheet is a small square of gold leaf.

    The stack will be beaten over the course of several days until the gold leaf is whisper-thin. It can then be applied to jewelry, shrines, even food.

    Everything about gold leaf requires a great deal of skill and time. Most of the process is done by hand,

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