Keep it long, treasure it long.

There is skill in the bottom

A madake arm basket made by a single skilled craftsman. The ingenuity to easily drain water and the durable construction that is easy to use make it more beautiful than it is functional.

Baskets made from natural materials are popular all over the world, but Japan is a bit special, as bamboo baskets are not only used as daily necessities, but are also developed as arts and crafts. Digging into history, bamboo baskets have been used as flower baskets in the world of tea ceremony since the time of Sen no Rikyu. Both the delicate bamboo crafts and the bamboo baskets used in daily life reflect the Japanese spirit of careful craftsmanship.

Matake that feels the change of time with colors

Aodake Zaiku is a bamboo craft that weaves baskets out of natural bamboo cut from the mountains without artificial treatment such as dyeing. Moso bamboo, light bamboo, and madake bamboo are often used for green bamboo work, but madake is said to be the most suitable material for bamboo work because of its supple elasticity and luster. Freshly woven green is beautiful, but the real pleasure of green bamboo work is that the color changes with time. It changes from “blue” to “golden” over time, to a calm “amber color” after a few years, and then to “dark brown” with a deeper shine after ten or twenty years. To go. The change in texture makes you feel the passage of time spent together, and the longer you use it, the more you become attached to it.

The beauty of handwork

A bowl basket woven from finely torn madake bamboo grown in Ibaraki Prefecture. The madake bamboo that grows wild in the northern part of Ibaraki Prefecture is felled, split with a machete, the skin on the back is peeled off, and pliable strips of bamboo are woven. This arm basket is made by a single craftsman who is over 80 years old and has many skills. The bottom part is made with hexagonal weaving, which is a weaving method that has long been used for bamboo strainers and baskets that are subject to heavy loads, making it difficult to break even when placed on a bowl or plate. The mouth and bottom are wrapped in many layers of madake bamboo, and rattan is wrapped around the top, making it durable and easy to handle. By raising the bottom, the ventilation is improved, and it can be used as a draining basket after washing rice bowls and dishes, and it can also be used for storing food such as vegetables and fruits.

It's so beautiful that you'll want to decorate it in your room as a work of art.

Know the tools that are rooted in your life

Different materials, different shapes and weaves for the same purpose. Basket products from all over Japan and around the world offer a glimpse of the characteristics of the region, the way of life that has taken root, and even the character of the people. increase.

Bamboo crafts in Miyagi, which are said to have started making baskets and colanders as a side job for samurai families since the Edo period, have been made from bamboo that grew wild in the area for tools in daily life and for business use. Precious manufacturing that is also a little bit. The people involved will be happy if it becomes an opportunity to learn about the enjoyment of continued use and the craftsmanship and environment that plastic products do not have.