Hida Kagu refers to furniture made in the Hida region centered on Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, and is one of Japan's leading furniture-producing areas, known especially for chairs, tables, and other leg furniture that make use of magiki, the technique of bending wood with steam. Its origins trace back to 1920 (Taisho 9), when local businesspeople, aiming to make use of underused beech timber, took up bentwood furniture making and founded Chuo Mokko Co., Ltd. (now Hida Sangyo Co., Ltd.), marking the beginning of Hida Kagu. The Hida region has a roughly 1,300-year-old tradition of woodworking craftsmen known as Hida no Takumi, said to have taken part in the construction of Heijo-kyo and Todai-ji Temple, and the skills of these craftsmen have carried through into modern furniture making. The craft makes use of beech, which is hard and pliant and well suited to bentwood processing, and oak, prized for its calm grain, to produce beautiful, refined designs that highlight the natural color and grain of the wood. In 2008 (Heisei 20), Hida no Kagu and Hida/Takayama no Kagu were registered as regional collective trademarks.
Origin
The origins of Hida Kagu trace back to 1920 (Taisho 9), when local businesspeople, seeking to make use of the abundant but underused beech timber found in the Hida region, took up bentwood (magiki) furniture making and founded Chuo Mokko Co., Ltd. (now Hida Sangyo Co., Ltd.). The bentwood technique that originated in Europe combined with the roughly 1,300-year-old tradition of woodworking craftsmen in the Hida region known as Hida no Takumi, laying the foundation for a modern furniture-producing area.
History
Since its founding, the craft has developed through the bentwood technique of softening wood with steam and fixing it into the desired shape, advancing the making of chairs, tables, and other leg furniture, and a large number of furniture makers, including Hida Sangyo, have gathered in Takayama City. In January 2008 (Heisei 20), Hida no Kagu and Hida/Takayama no Kagu were registered as regional collective trademarks, furthering the branding of the region as a furniture-producing area.
Features
Hida Kagu is characterized by its selection of timber that makes the most of the Hida region's forest resources, beech, which is hard and pliant and well suited to steam bending, and oak, prized for its calm grain and tiger-stripe figure, together with sturdy construction achieved through superior bentwood processing techniques. Known for beautiful, refined designs that highlight the natural color and grain of the wood, it is one of Japan's leading furniture-producing areas, particularly skilled in chairs, tables, and other leg furniture.
Techniques
Magiki (Bentwood)
A technique in which wood is exposed to steam to soften its cell walls and then fixed into the desired curved shape. Beech, prized for its elasticity and strength and its tendency to bend evenly, developed as the core technique of Hida Kagu.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Milling and drying
Timber is milled and thoroughly dried to prevent warping.
- 2
Bending
The wood is softened with steam and bent along a mold to fix its curved shape.
- 3
Machining and assembly
The bent components are cut, sanded, and assembled into parts.
- 4
Finishing and inspection
A finish that highlights the wood grain is applied, and the piece is inspected before completion.
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Artisans & Workshops
飛騨産業株式会社
Founded in 1920 (Taisho 9) as Chuo Mokko Co., Ltd., a pioneer of bentwood furniture making and the leading company of Hida Kagu.
Official site →日進木工株式会社
A furniture maker in Takayama City that produces bentwood furniture and other pieces using beech.
Official site →柏木工（KASHIWA）
A furniture maker in Takayama City that makes furniture using domestically produced solid wood.
Official site →How to Buy
- Hida Sangyo Hida no Kagukan Takayama
- Hida Sangyo's directly operated showroom, displaying and selling bentwood furniture and other products.Where to buy →PR
- Kashiwa Mokko Takayama Showroom
- A showroom displaying and selling Kashiwa Mokko's original furniture and interior goods.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
日進木工 タカヤマギャラリー
岐阜県高山市桐生町7-78
Offers factory tours and woodworking experiences, such as making wood wreaths. The experience costs around 3,300 yen, takes about two hours, and is held twice a day; reservation required.
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