Koshu Suisho Kiseki Zaiku are crystal and gemstone carvings produced in the city of Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture. The origins of this craft date back to the Heian period (794-1185), when crystal gemstones were discovered in the Mitake Shosenkyo Gorge and Mt. Kinpu area in the north of Yamanashi Prefecture. By the Taisho period (1912-1926), local crystal resources had run out, but Kofu adapted to become a major processing center for carving imported crystal, agate, diamonds, and other precious stones. Artisans select the source materials carefully and use traditional techniques to cut, carve, and polish the material into a variety of products, ranging from religious and animal figurines to beads and jewelry.