Itaya-zaiku is a type of basketry made in the Kumojikari area of Kakunodate, Semboku City, Akita Prefecture, in which young Itaya maple trees are split into thin strips and woven together. It is said to have begun around the Kansei era (around 1790) as a side occupation for farming households during the winter agricultural off-season, and has been passed down for more than 200 years. In the past, the craft mainly produced practical farm tools such as the waist basket known as 'kakkobe,' resembling a fish creel, along with baskets for farm work and mi (winnowing baskets), but over time it has broadened into craft items such as hand baskets, serving trays, and the toy horse known as Itaya-uma. The trunk of the Itaya maple used as material is split evenly to a thickness of less than 1mm and woven by hand using basketry techniques. In addition to being light and durable, it develops an amber color and deepens in character with use, an appealing change over time. It is a Prefecturally Designated Traditional Craft of Akita Prefecture, and today only two households in the Kumojikari area continue to make and sell it.
Origin
Itaya-zaiku is said to have begun around the Kansei era (around 1790) as a side occupation for farming households in the Kumojikari area of Kakunodate, Semboku City, during the winter agricultural off-season. Using young Itaya maple trees growing wild in the nearby hills as material, it began simply, as farmers made practical tools for farm work, such as the waist basket known as kakkobe, resembling a fish creel, and mi (winnowing baskets).
History
Itaya-zaiku has been passed down in the Kumojikari area for more than 200 years, but the number of makers, once said to number more than 20 households, has declined, and today only two households continue to make and sell it. As demand for farm tools has fallen, product development has moved toward household goods and craft items such as hand baskets, serving trays, and the toy horse known as Itaya-uma, and efforts continue to pass down the technique as a Prefecturally Designated Traditional Craft of Akita Prefecture.
Features
A defining feature is splitting the trunk of a young Itaya maple into strips less than 1mm thick, evening out their thickness and width, and then weaving them by hand using basketry techniques. Though light and durable, part of its appeal lies in how it develops an amber color and deepens in character with use over time. In recent years, new product development has also progressed, combining different materials such as walnut or wild grape bark, or coloring pieces using mud-dyeing techniques.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Harvesting the raw wood
Young Itaya maple trees growing wild in the hills are cut.
- 2
Splitting into strips
The trunk is split into thin strips, with thickness and width evened out.
- 3
Weaving
The strips are woven using basketry techniques, shaping the piece from the base to the rim.
- 4
Finishing
The rim is finished off and a handle is attached to complete the piece.
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Artisans & Workshops
民芸イタヤ工房
A workshop in Kumojikari, Kakunodate, Semboku City. Sisters Mako Nishinomiya and Kureha Taguchi carry on the techniques their grandfather developed, transforming Itaya-zaiku from a farm tool into a craft item.
Official site →How to Buy
- Mingei Itaya Kobo
- Offers products across a wide price range, from toys to practical items, including an Itaya-uma toy horse for around ¥1,650, serving trays from around ¥5,940, and a small hand basket from around ¥30,800.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
角館樺細工伝承館
秋田県仙北市角館町表町下丁10-1
With advance reservation at least 10 days ahead, visitors can try making toys and other items using Itaya maple under an artisan's guidance.
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