The Wonder of Kishu Cypress
Tsunoda Seibee
The long-standing history of Tsunoda Seibee Shoten, located in Wakayama Prefecture, begins in 1830 near the end of the Edo period (1603-1867) as a specialty store of Kishu lacquerware. The origin of the store's name dates back to the Kanei period around 1620, when the merchant Tsunoda Seibee traveled from Kishu (present-day Wakayama Prefecture and Mie Prefecture) to Edo (present-day Tokyo) on foot to sell lacquerware made in Kishu.
Products from Tsunoda Seibee are crafted using coniferous wood, mainly Japanese cypress. Wakayama Prefecture, where Tsunoda Seibee is located, is well-known for its production of Kishu cypress. Although slower in growth compared to cedar, Kishu cypress retains a higher density and a heightened aroma, making it an ideal material for building structures and lacquerware items.
Wood possesses the unique property of adjusting moisture levels; under conditions of high humidity, wood draws moisture from the air to balance its own moisture level with its surrounding high humidity. This remarkable property of wood is what prevents rice from sticking to the surface of wooden bento boxes as the wood absorbs the excess moisture within the bento box.
And of all the various types of woods available, Japanese cypress delivers optimal balance as the ideal material for manufacturing bento boxes.
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