The Beauty of the Kakunodate Cherry Trees

Kakunodate is famous for its cherry trees. The weeping cherry trees on the Buke premises are called ”Kakunodate’s weeping cherry trees” and are designated as Natural Monument of Japan, attracting great numbers of people every year. The cherry trees add to the beauty of Kakunodate with the Cherry Tree Bark Craft in the studio we visited.
This traditional craft involves polishing the cherry tree bark using a unique technique, then gluing the barks together. The bark has a specific polished shine, and its dark hue is simply beautiful. The bark’s moisture proof, quick-drying characteristics are also suitable for items such as tea ceremony equipment including tea cylinders, and tea cabinets.

Cherry Tree Bark Craft Adds Color to Daily Life

We visited Fujiki Denshiro Shoten, founded in 1851. When you hear ”Cherry Tree Bark Craft”, you may think of a tea cylinder. However, we found a wide variety of products on the shelves. For example, a picture stand. The frame was made of cherry tree bark, and makes the picture stand out. Another was a card holder. It will surely be an item that you would become attached to, more so than an inorganic metal frame. Others items included trays, coasters, and placemats. Any of these items will add a touch of warm ”Japanese taste” to your daily life.

Beauty of Japan promoted overseas

The craft originally began in the Edo period, and developed as side jobs for ”bushi”. During those times, pill cases, miniature carvings and ”obi” band holders were popular. It obviously had been a part of everyday life, adding ”color to daily life” and not treated as a ”work of art”.Fujiki finishes each and every one of the pieces with care, inheriting the traditional method. He sometimes collaborates with designers to adopt modern styles. Though his work is promoted overseas as well, his wish is for people to actually ”use it” instead of treating it as art. He creates the pieces imagining the faces of those who will be using them. Perhaps the true meaning of tradition is what is handed down through the actual lives of people.

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