Durable and functional wooden champagne cooler used by the Maison

A new innovation that connects completed traditional technology to the next generation

The art of kioketsusaimono has been refined over a 700-year history in Japanese woodworking. The beauty of daily utensils such as otsu (rice cooker) and furobako (bathtub), which can be considered the ultimate in “utilitarian beauty,” has somehow become a distant presence in the midst of changing lifestyles.

However, when one takes a closer look at a wooden bucket, one is struck by its perfection and the nobility of its craftsmanship. The lightness and softness of the texture, the calming scent of the wood, and the durability and functionality that will last for decades. In every respect, the product is full of charm as an object.

There is an artist who has successfully created a connection between this type of wooden pail fingerwork and modern lifestyles. He is Shuji Nakagawa, the third generation of Nakagawa Wooden Crafts, a company that carries on the tradition of Kyoto-style finger works.

Using special techniques used in architecture and other fields, Nakagawa has succeeded in giving a modern look to a daily commodity that until now had only a fixed shape, and has brilliantly renewed its form. The new history of wooden bucket crafts has just begun.

Inquiries: Nakagawa Wood Crafts Hira Studio TEL: 077-592-2400