noun
tanning; leather tanning
Refers to the process of treating animal hides to make leather. Often used in compound nouns like 皮なめし業 (tanning industry).
皮なめしは古くから行われている技術です。
Tanning is a technique that has been practiced since ancient times.
この地域では皮なめしが盛んだ。
Tanning is thriving in this region.
革 is the general word for leather, while 皮なめし refers specifically to the tanning process.
なめし革 means tanned leather (the product), whereas 皮なめし is the process of tanning.
Compound of 皮 (かわ, 'hide, skin') and なめし, the continuative form of なめす ('to tan'). The verb なめす is of uncertain origin, possibly related to 滑らか (なめらか, 'smooth'), referring to the softening of leather.