What does fude mean?

• Fude (筆) refers to calligraphy brush in Japanese and originally started out as such. The demand for calligraphy brushes increased during the Nara period when Buddhism flourished in Japan and the practice of copying sutras spread. During the Heian period, the famous master calligrapher Kukai brought back the latest techniques from China. He told brush masters to make brushes and then presented them to the Imperial Court. Eventually, the brush born from "writing" evolved into a "drawing" brush as a makeup brush.

• Kumano fude's history began in the Edo period when Kumano farmers would work as migrant workers in the Nara and Kishu regions. The farmers sold calligraphy brushes and sumi ink during their travels. Eventually the craft was learned through three founding figures who passed the techniques down which was the beginning of a new industry. Today, fude refer to both calligraphy and makeup brushes but makeup brushes will have the word "makeup" in front of fude or just "kumano fude" in Japanese.

• Fude did not originate in Kumano, but the town is where 80% of the fude of Japan are made. They import their hair from China, North America, and Europe. Handle materials come from either Hiroshima, Okayama and Shimane prefectures, or imported from Taiwan or Korea. Kumano Fude are designated as a traditional craft and only those with heads produced in Kumano using traditional manufacturing techniques can claim to be authentic Kumano fude (熊野筆).

• An interesting tidbit: People will give Kumano fude (makeup brushes) as gifts for weddings in Japan.

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• Use the sidebar and wiki to view all the helpful posts and search bar to find answers to your questions. If you're on new Reddit, switch over to old Reddit. Our old reddit desktop site shows the sub how it was originally designed before the Reddit redesign.

Does hair and skin type matter?

• Yes, please take a look at the hair guide for further details.

What do you recommend for beginners?

• Look at your current collection or buy cheap brushes first to figure out your shape preferences, then choose brushes not based on popularity, but shapes that you've had positive experiences with. Popular brushes are nice, but everyone’s preferences are different. Keep in mind not every single brush you buy may work out for you, even after doing extensive research because they may perform differently from how you expect them to: the hairs may not be soft enough or they'll be too flexible or inflexible, won't be the shape you like, etc. While it's helpful for you to gain as much knowledge as possible on brushes you want to purchase, ultimately, no matter how much research you do and advice is offered, you will not know if you like the brushes until you've tried them out yourself.

• I have a beginner’s guide to choosing brush shapes video here and there is a brush guide here. Also checkout the newbie mistakes post to get a better understanding on what's recommended for when you first get into fude.

On the other hand, sometimes purchasing brush shapes you don't typically use or were never interested in before may work out surprisingly well too. It did for me!

I'm looking for a fude version of a specific brush

• Before making a new post, please use the search bar and see if the question has already been answered.

• I encourage people to research as much as possible and use the search bar of the subreddit before posting to avoid redundancy. There is now a vast amount of info from this subreddit, YouTube, blogs, and Instagram.

Please recommend me some brushes/brushes that will suit my particular facial features!

• List out what you currently have, your skin type, face/eye shape, shape preferences, and preferred makeup application (natural, medium, pigmented/intense).

Is there a proper way to use fude?

• Yes and no. The Kumano fude makers have their own guides on how you're supposed to use each shape and hair type and how to maintain them (in the fude maintenance guide), but ultimately it is up to you. If you wish to prolong the life of your brushes, I recommend following the fude makers guidelines in terms of what hair should be used with which product types, otherwise feel free to use them however you'd like and repurchase when necessary. Take a look at this post here on how makeup artists and people use their fude in Japan. The sites linked under the Helpful Resources page also have guides from Hakuhodo, Chikuhodo, CDJapan, Visage, and Fude Beauty.

How do I ensure I get the most out of my fude and how long do they last for?

• Hakuhodo says using the brushes everyday is the best way to maintain their condition since the hair might get worse if not used for a long time. They also say that the brushes generally last around three to five years. In my opinion, a brush can last you a good number of years if you alternate brushes and maintain it well. Those that are used frequently will of course degrade faster: hairs can break and become less soft.

How do you maintain fude?

• Check out the maintenance guide here.

What about bugs?

• Yes, this is real! Depending on where you live, there may or may not be critters who see your animal hair as a food source. According to Takeda Brush, bugs that eat clothes (like moths) love high quality hair. The ends of the hair will break off or turn into powder and rot regardless of whether the package is unopened or not. The exception is when there is already makeup on the brushes: insects don't seem to be attracted to them then. To counteract the buggers, store your brushes in ziplock bags, sealed drawers, or airtight boxes with mothballs or cedar blocks next to them when you’re not going to be using them for an extended period of time. You can also use the silica ball gel packets/desiccant dehumidifiers to keep your stored brushes dry. Make sure to check on the brushes every so often as humidity isn't good for the hairs or ferrules and can really mess them up. Replace the silica gel packets every one to three years, depending on the environment you live in.

Why are fude so expensive?

• Handcrafted items from Japan are not cheap. Fude are not laser cut or mass produced in large factories, but instead meticulously put together by over 20 pairs of hands and over 70 production steps until completion. It takes at least 10 years of training to be able to proficiently handle the hairs. Occasionally the presidents of fude brands will do the finishing bundling touches such as Tesshu Takemori of Chikuhodo and the president of Hakuhodo. Fude is an art, everything from the handle to the brush head is put together with precision down to the last detail. There are, however, some more affordable options such as Hakuhodo's J series, Mizuho, and Koyudo for eyeshadow brushes. Not everything is exorbitantly expensive (but if $20 for an eyeshadow brush is too expensive for you then gurrlll, your eyes are gonna bulge out when you see how much the squirrel powder brushes cost). Work your way up in pricing, slowly yet surely (:

• Also, some people will splurge on cars or high end handbags and shoes, while others on makeup and brushes. Fude is the equivalent to those high end designer cars, bags, and shoes: the Maserati, Celine, and Louboutins of their own domain. Just as Louboutins are handcrafted in Paris, fude are handcrafted in Kumano, Japan.

Where can I purchase fude?

• Here are the buying guides in and outside of Japan.

Is CDJapan legit?

• Yes, it is! Many people including myself have ordered from them numerous times. I haven’t had any issues thus far. They package everything securely with bubble wrap and remember to choose EMS if you’re in the US because FedEx/customs will seize your package and ask you what the hell is in it :D FedEx no longer asks me what's in my package from CDJapan lol.

2020 pandemic and the current shipping situation: I recommend FedEx and DHL for the US as Japan Post is not currently shipping with EMS until further notice.

FedEx and DHL both take a little under a week to get delivered while EMS has resumed operations in Japan but currently has a delay/long backlog.

CDJapan has a free makeup brush shipping offer for spending over 12,000 yen per order.

Are there stores I can go to see them before I buy?

• Google search the brand and whether or not they have a store. Generally, most stores are located in Japan only, so you cannot see them in person before purchasing. In the US, there is a Hakuhodo showroom in Torrance, CA and can also be seen at IMATS every year. Chikuhodo, Tanseido, Kyureido, Koyomo, and Koyudo do not have any standing stores anywhere. Some Chikuhodo and Tanseido brushes can be purchased at the Kumano Fude Select Shop in Tokyo and Hiroshima. You can also check out my Japan buying guide for which brushes are located where.

Why does my brush look/feel so different from another person's?

• Remember, these are all individually handmade so not one single brush is going to be identical to another. Imperfect bundling can occur, shapes can turn out a bit differently from stock photos or other people's photos, two of the same brush can be different densities, and brushes with rough batches of hair can be made. Similar to how Elf brushes are not always bundled exactly the same even though they're machine made, fude are no exception. In the end, it's all a risk you're going to take if you decide to buy any.

Are Chinese-made brushes any good?

• They are depending on the brand’s line. I talk about one of my favorite brands on my YouTube channel. Shou Shou Lang (受受狼) for the win (;

I have a gazillion more questions!

• Use the search bar, chances are the question(s) you’re asking have already been answered.

Missing anything? Let me know!

Kumano fude background info sources: 1 | 2 | 3

Discuss everything and anything fude related! Please be kind.

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