Keep it long, treasure it long.

There is skill in the bottom

A basket made by a skilled craftsman alone. The design makes it easy to drain water and the sturdy construction makes it easy to use, giving it a beauty that goes beyond its functionality, making it a masterpiece that you will want to cherish forever.

Baskets made from natural materials are loved all over the world, but Japan is a little special among them, and bamboo baskets are not only used as daily necessities, but have also developed as art and crafts. If we dig up history, bamboo baskets have been used as flower baskets in the world of tea ceremony since the time of Sen no Rikyu. Both delicate bamboo crafts and bamboo baskets for daily life reflect the Japanese spirit of careful craftsmanship, and even today we are impressed by their beautiful and warm handiwork.

Feel the passage of time through the colors of madake

Bamboo crafts are made by weaving baskets from natural bamboo cut from the mountains without adding any artificial processing such as dyeing to the bamboo used as material. Bamboos that are often used for bamboo crafts include moso bamboo, atadake bamboo, madake bamboo, and shinodake bamboo, but madake bamboo and shinodake bamboo are said to be the most suitable materials for bamboo crafts because of their supple elasticity. The green color of the bamboo is beautiful when it is freshly woven, but the best part of bamboo crafts is that the color changes over time. It changes from "blue" to "golden" over time, and after a few years it turns into a calm "amber color," and after ten or twenty years it changes to a deeper, shining "dark brown." The change in texture makes you feel the passage of time you have spent together, and the longer you use it, the more you will love it.

Beauty of utility created by handwork

A bowl basket made by weaving thin strips of local bamboo from Ibaraki Prefecture. Bamboo that grows wild in the northern part of Ibaraki Prefecture is cut, split with a hatchet, and the bark is peeled off to make flexible bamboo strips that are then woven. This arm basket is made by a single basket-making craftsman over 80 years old, and is made using many skilled techniques. The bottom part is made using the hexagonal weaving method, which has long been used for bamboo sieves and bamboo baskets that are subject to heavy loads, making it resistant to breakage even when teacups and plates are placed on it. The opening and bottom are wrapped with multiple layers of madake bamboo, and then wrapped with rattan on top, making it durable and easy to handle. The raised bottom improves ventilation, and it can be used as a drainer after washing teacups and plates, or to store food such as vegetables and fruits.

This arm basket is so beautiful that you will want to display it in your room as a work of art. You can put seasonal foods in it to feel the change of seasons and enjoy the changing texture of the bamboo, which is a unique way to enjoy bamboo crafts.

Learn about tools that are rooted in daily life

Even if they have the same purpose, they come in different materials, shapes and weaves. Baskets from all over Japan and the world give a glimpse into the characteristics of the region, the rooted lifestyle, and even the personalities of the people. Unlike expensive traditional crafts, basket products are an opportunity to learn about familiar history and techniques. They have a warmth that is not found in the perfect plastic and stainless steel products made by modern automation, and each one retains the individuality of the material and traces of handwork as if it were a one-of-a-kind item. Since it is a natural material that requires a lot of effort to collect, we hope that you will understand that small cracks, tears, and twists in the finished product do not affect its use as a tool, as it is handmade, and enjoy the handiwork.

It is said that Miyagi bamboo crafts, which are said to have started making baskets and sieves as a side job for samurai families since the Edo period, have been made from bamboo that grows naturally in the region for daily life tools and business use, but there are only a few craftsmen left today, making this a precious craft. It would also be a great opportunity for those involved to learn about the joy of continued use, and about the craftsmen and the environment, something that plastic products do not offer.