Keep it long, treasure it long.

Beautiful stitches woven by craftsmen

A madake buckwheat basket with legs, with beautiful overlapping materials and a beautiful contrast. It is so elaborate that it is hard to believe that it was created by a single craftsman, and it is a dish that you would like to use when entertaining as a soba zaru that gives you a sense of commitment.

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.

From the hand of one craftsman

Mochi madake soba zaru is made by thinly tearing and weaving madake bamboo harvested locally in Ibaraki Prefecture. This soba zaru is made by a basket maker who is over 80 years old. The madake bamboo that grows wild in the northern part of Ibaraki Prefecture is felled, split with a machete, and the back skin is peeled off to make flexible bamboo strips. The beautiful pattern of layered materials is proof that it was made by a skilled craftsman. The bottom is raised to improve the flow of air from the bottom, and the mouth and bottom are wrapped in several layers of madake bamboo. You can see the attention to detail everywhere.

Not only can it be used for draining and storing vegetables and fruits, but it can also be used as a cool container for udon and soba noodles during the hot season. It can also be used as a container for rice balls and bread. Since it can be used without water accumulating at the bottom, it is also useful when you want to dry dishes and cutlery. While enjoying the gradually changing color and texture of bamboo, it is a tool for daily life that makes you want to continue to use it carefully.

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.