Kabazaiku Cherry Bark Work
Kabazaiku is a craft made in Akita Prefecture, in northern Japan, from the bark of yamazakura “Japanese mountain cherry.” The captivating silk or metal-like luster unique to cherry tree bark, combined with its deep color, is used to create pieces of unparalleled beauty. This traditional Japanese craft has a history spanning about 250 years.
About Kabazaiku
Kabazaiku is believed to have begun in the 1780s when a Shugendo practitioner from the Ani region of northern Akita Prefecture introduced the technique to Kakunodate. Initially developed as a sideline handicraft for samurai, the craft gradually took root as a local industry with the support of local lords, and the beautifully made items became favored souvenirs.
During the Meiji era (1868 CE–1912 CE), many of the samurai who were skilled at the kabazaiku technique transitioned to becoming full-fledged craftsmen. Later, kabazaiku gained recognition during a nationwide folk art movement in Japan. Its techniques were further refined, and in 1976, it was officially recognized as a traditional Japanese craft.
The Charm of Kabazaiku Cherry Bark
Kabazaiku is known for its robust durability and excellent moisture control, effectively managing both humidity and dryness.
The elegant luster and simple beauty of cherry bark patterns make it a favored material for tea canisters, trays, and other tea ware. Tea canisters are especially prized by sencha “green tea” lovers for their ability to preserve the aroma and flavor of the tea leaves.
Kabazaiku involves three primary techniques: katamono, kijimono, and tatamimono. Katamono is a technique for making cylindrical products such as tea canisters. In this method, paper-thin sheets of wood and bark are wrapped around a cylindrical wooden mold and then pasted together while being held down with a hot metal trowel. Kijimono is a technique used to create box-shaped products, such as letter boxes and trays, by carefully applying bark to a wooden base. Tatamimono involves layering polished bark to create a thicker material, which is then intricately carved.
Yatsuyanagi
Yatsuyanagi was founded in 1876 and has been crafting kabazaiku for generations in the scenic Kakunodate area of Akita Prefecture. While preserving traditional techniques of delicate and precise craftsmanship, they produce polished bark items and jewel-like accessories that are safe, easy to use, and well-suited to today’s lifestyles. All of the kabazaiku items offered by MUSUBI KILN are manufactured by Yatsuyanagi.
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