Iriyama Menpa is a bentwood (magemono) lunch box handed down in the Iriyama district of Nakanojo, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture. It is said to date back to the Bunka-Bunsei era of the late Edo period (early 19th century). In the mountainous Iriyama district, which had no notable industry besides agriculture and forestry, woodcraft developed as a livelihood that supported people's daily lives. It is made by softening thin boards of red pine in boiling water, bending them into a rounded shape, and stitching them together with strips of mountain cherry bark, without using any nails. Its distinctive oval shape is considered auspicious, and thanks to the wood's moisture-absorbing and aromatic properties, it draws just the right amount of steam from cooked rice to prevent it from becoming soggy, and the food stays fresh even in summer, making it widely used as a lunch box carried for mountain work in the past. The way the wood's color deepens with use is also part of its appeal, and it is designated a Gunma Prefecture Furusato Traditional Craft.
Origin
The origin of Iriyama Menpa is said to trace back to the Bunka-Bunsei era of the late Edo period (1804-1830). The Iriyama district, located in the mountains of Nakanojo, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture, had no notable industry besides agriculture and forestry at the time, and woodcraft that made use of the trees close at hand became a way for people to earn a living. Making 'menpa,' lunch boxes formed by bending thin boards of wood, took root as something carried by people working in the mountains, and it has been passed down as a specialty product named after the Iriyama district.
History
For a long time, Iriyama Menpa was an indispensable practical lunch box carried for mountain and farm work, essential to daily life in the region. Although demand declined over time, the benefits of wood's moisture-absorbing and aromatic properties in keeping food in good condition were reappraised, and the technique has been passed down to this day as a Gunma Prefecture Furusato Traditional Craft. There was a period when the craft's survival was in doubt, with only a single maker left, but a successor artisan has taken over the technique and continues making menpa in Nakanojo.
Features
The defining feature of Iriyama Menpa lies in its 'magemono' (bentwood) technique, in which thin boards of red pine are softened in boiling water and bent into a rounded shape, then stitched together with mountain cherry bark, using no adhesive or nails whatsoever. The rounded oval shape is considered auspicious, with a lid and body forming a matched pair. Thanks to the wood's own moisture-absorbing and aromatic properties, it moderately absorbs the steam given off by rice, keeping it from becoming soggy and helping food resist spoiling even in summer, a major practical advantage. The wood's color deepens in tone the more it is used, offering the pleasure of watching it age over time.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Preparing the Boards
Red pine wood is shaved into thin boards that will form the sides of the menpa. Artisans judge the grain and thickness of the wood to produce supple, thin boards that bend easily.
- 2
Bending
The thin boards are soaked in boiling water to soften them, then bent into a rounded oval shape. This step calls on the artisan's experience and intuition, as the shape must be set quickly before the wood cools and stiffens.
- 3
Stitching
The seam of the bent board is stitched together with a cord made from finely split mountain cherry bark. No adhesive or nails are used, only the tension of the bark holds it in place.
- 4
Fitting the Base and Finishing
A base board is fitted into the bent sides to complete a matched lid and body. The overall shape is adjusted and any distortion corrected, producing a sturdy lunch box fit for practical use.
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Artisans & Workshops
山本幹雄
After spending 26 years as a hotel manager in Kusatsu Onsen, he learned that the artisans making Iriyama Menpa were at risk of disappearing, and began making menpa himself after retiring. He handles every step, including cutting the wood, at a workshop beside his home in the Kuni district of Nakanojo.
Official site →How to Buy
- 道の駅六合 六合観光物産センター
- A products center at a roadside station near where Iriyama Menpa is made. It carries Iriyama Menpa crafted from red pine, along with local woodcraft and other regional specialty products.Where to buy →PR