Fuji Katsuyama Suzutake Bamboo Craft is a bamboo craft handed down in the Katsuyama district of Fujikawaguchiko Town, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture. Thin suzutake bamboo that grows wild around the second station of Mt. Fuji is split and woven into everyday tools such as zaru (bamboo colanders) and baskets. Improvements were made over generations in the lives of the villagers from around the beginning of the Edo period, and there is said to be a record of baskets being offered when the main shrine of Fuji Omuro Sengen Shrine was built in 1610 (Keicho 15). The Kai Kokushi, a regional gazetteer of 1814 (Bunka 11), also records that suzutake from the northern foot of Mt. Fuji was used as material for making mi (winnowing baskets) and zaru. Suzutake is supple and fragrant, and the woven products are light, sturdy and drain water well. With careful use they are said to last 30 or 40 years, and they have long been valued as kitchen tools such as rice-washing colanders. In 1998 (Heisei 10), the craft was designated a Yamanashi Prefecture Designated Local Traditional Craft. Today, makers carry on the techniques at the Katsuyama Suzutake Traditional Craft Center.
Origin
Katsuyama's suzutake craft has been handed down since around the beginning of the Edo period, refined through ingenuity in the daily lives of the villagers. There is said to be a record of baskets being offered when the main shrine of Fuji Omuro Sengen Shrine was built in 1610 (Keicho 15). The Kai Kokushi of 1814 (Bunka 11) records that villagers of Motosu, Shoji and Saiko cut the suzutake growing in clusters at the northern foot of Mt. Fuji and peddled it in the Kawachi and Gunnai domains. It was material for making mi, zaru and biku (fish baskets).
History
In 1979 (Showa 54), the 'Katsuyama Village Koshu Gunnai Zaru School' was established to carry on the tradition of zaru making and train successors. In 1998 (Heisei 10), the craft was designated a Yamanashi Prefecture Designated Local Traditional Craft, and in 2011 (Heisei 23) the facility was renamed the Katsuyama Suzutake Traditional Craft Center. About 20 people in their 60s to 90s belong to the center. Meanwhile, logging with large heavy machinery has hindered the growth of suzutake, and a shortage of materials has become a problem.
Features
Suzutake is a thin bamboo about 0.3 to 1 cm in diameter, characterized by its suppleness and pleasant fragrance. It is split into four to six pieces, and about 20 to 100 higo (thin strips) with the outer skin stripped off are used to weave it. Zaru woven with a fine mesh are delicate yet solid, light and sturdy. They drain water well and are suited to washing rice and vegetables. With careful use they are said to last 30 or 40 years, and as tools made from natural materials they can be used for a long time.
Techniques
Suzu-wari (Splitting) and Ajiro-ami (Twill Weaving)
In 'suzu-wari,' the cut suzutake is split into four to six pieces to make thin higo strips with the outer skin stripped off. The weaving process is characterized by techniques such as the ajiro-ami (twill weave) called 'Bukkomi' and 'Mitsuage.' Because thin strips are used, the zaru are finished with a dense, delicate weave.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Suzu-kiri (Cutting)
Suzutake growing wild at the foot of Mt. Fuji is cut.
- 2
Suzu-wari (Splitting) and Hegi-biki (Stripping)
The suzutake is split into four to six pieces, and the outer skin is stripped off to make higo strips.
- 3
Hego-kake, Bukkomi and Mitsuage
The weaving proceeds with techniques such as the ajiro-ami twill weave 'Bukkomi.'
- 4
Shippa-zukuri, Koshi-ire and Do-ami (Body Weaving)
The body of the piece is woven while the shape is adjusted.
- 5
Fuchi-dome and Fuchi-maki (Rim Finishing)
The rim is secured and wrapped to finish the piece.
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Artisans & Workshops
富士河口湖町勝山スズ竹伝統工芸センター
A center for passing on the tradition of zaru making and training successors, located at 4029-5 Katsuyama, Fujikawaguchiko Town. Its predecessor was the 'Katsuyama Village Koshu Gunnai Zaru School,' established in 1979 (Showa 54), and it is run by Mr. Arihara (在原建男). It makes baskets, zaru, sun-protection helmets, vegetable-washing tools and more, and receives orders from all over Japan.
Official site →How to Buy
- Fujikawaguchiko Town Hometown Tax Donation
- The Fujikawaguchiko Furusato Promotion Foundation (a general incorporated foundation) offers Katsuyama suzutake craft items as return gifts for hometown tax donation (furusato nozei). The 'Small Rice-Washing Zaru (3 go),' about 19 cm in diameter and 10.5 cm high, can be selected for a donation of 24,000 yen or more.Where to buy →PR
- 西湖いやしの里根場
- A facility in Saiko Nenba, Fujikawaguchiko Town, that recreates the Nenba village, lost in a 1966 landslide disaster, with 20 old folk houses. Yamanashi Prefecture's artisan introduction states that suzutake craft demonstrations and sales are held here. It is best to check the dates in advance.
Hands-on Experiences
富士河口湖町勝山スズ竹伝統工芸センター
山梨県南都留郡富士河口湖町勝山4029-5
A facility where makers gather to carry on the techniques, also offering zaru-making classes. As it closes for periods such as a summer break, it is best to inquire about dates and details before visiting. The craft center's blog also introduces its activities and exhibitions such as one of Oishi Tsumugi (pongee silk).
View details →FAQ
Q. What kind of bamboo is suzutake?
A. It is a thin bamboo about 0.3 to 1 cm in diameter that grows wild around the second to third stations of Mt. Fuji. It is supple and fragrant, and when split and woven it becomes light, sturdy tools. The people of Katsuyama have long used this familiar material to make the zaru and baskets they needed in daily life.
Q. Why is there a shortage of materials?
A. According to Yamanashi Prefecture, one cause is that large heavy machinery used to fell large trees crushes the suzutake and hinders its growth. Because of the shortage of materials, the center is said to have had no choice but to reduce its business partners from 15 or 16 companies to six.