Kamo Kiri Tansu are chests of drawers made of paulownia wood in Kamo City, Niigata Prefecture, and the surrounding area. Paulownia swells when humidity is high, keeping moisture out, and shrinks when dry, improving ventilation, which makes it well suited to storing clothing. Chest-making in Kamo began in the Tenmei era (1781-1789) of the Edo period, and it is said to have originated with Maruya Koemon, who made chests from cedar alongside his carpentry work. Because natural paulownia wood was plentiful in the surrounding mountains, the area grew into a production center for paulownia chests (kiri-tansu), which were shipped by boat via the Kamo River and the Shinano River to Niigata and the Tohoku region. It is still regarded as Japan's leading production area, accounting for about 70 percent of national paulownia chest output, and in 1976 it became a Traditional Craft Designated by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (at the time, the Minister of International Trade and Industry). The chests are assembled without gaps using sashimono joinery techniques that use no metal nails, and because the surface can be planed down and restored even when old, they are said to last more than 100 years.
Origin
Chest-making in Kamo is said to have begun in the Tenmei era (1781-1789) of the Edo period. According to tradition, Maruya Koemon began making chests from cedar alongside his carpentry work. Kamo had plentiful natural paulownia wood in its surroundings, and sashimono joiners also made storage boxes and other items from paulownia. In an old family home in the city, a paulownia chest with a record of having been purchased in 1814 (Bunka 11) still survives.
History
By around 1820 (Bunsei 3), paulownia boxes and paulownia chests were being loaded onto boats from the Kamo River to the Shinano River and shipped out to Niigata and the Tohoku region. A record from 1877 (Meiji 10) notes the production of 400 chests and 200 nagamochi (long storage chests), and around 1882 (Meiji 15) the trade flourished, with shipments going from Hokkaido to the six prefectures of Tohoku. It was designated a national Traditional Craft on December 15, 1976, and is still regarded as the production area responsible for about 70 percent of paulownia chest production nationwide.
Features
Paulownia is light, and it protects the clothing inside from moisture by swelling and shrinking in response to humidity. It also contains components such as tannin, paulownin, and sesamin, which make it resistant to damage from insects and fungi. Kamo Kiri Tansu are made by joining several boards so that the straight grain (masame) is aligned, and are assembled with mortise-and-tenon joints, dovetail joints, and wooden pegs, so no metal nails are used at all. They are finished with such precision that there is no gap for air to escape.
Techniques
Board joining and straight-grain matching
Several paulownia boards are joined into a single board, and the straight grain (masame, wood grain running straight through) on the front and back is aligned using special techniques. This is the key skill of Kamo Kiri Tansu, creating the beauty of an orderly wood grain across the entire chest.
Dovetail and mortise-and-tenon joints
A method of assembly in which the ends of boards are cut into trapezoidal 'ari' (dovetails) or projecting 'hozo' (tenons) and interlocked. Used together with wooden pegs, they allow the body and drawers to be assembled without metal nails. Adjustments are made repeatedly with hand tools to achieve gap-free precision.
Yakigiri and tonoko finishing
A traditional finishing method in which the surface of the assembled chest is scorched with a gas burner, after which tonoko (a fine powder made from fired clay) is applied to even out the color.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Sawing and drying
Paulownia logs are sawn into boards and naturally dried for about 1 to 3 years to draw out the astringent tannins.
- 2
Kidori (board allocation)
It is decided which part of the chest each board will be used for. This affects both quality and yield.
- 3
Assembly
The body and drawers are assembled using mortise-and-tenon joints, dovetail joints, and wooden pegs.
- 4
Finishing
The surface is scorched and tonoko is applied to even out the color.
- 5
Attaching fittings
Metal fittings are attached to complete the chest.
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Artisans & Workshops
桐の蔵
A paulownia chest workshop now in its third generation, started in 1942 by its founder as Kuwabara Tansu-ten. It has a showroom adjacent to its workshop in Tagami Town, and makes and sells chests for general storage, Japanese-style chests, wardrobe chests, and more.
Official site →桐工房SHIGENO（茂野タンス店）
A workshop that, in addition to Kamo paulownia chests, also makes modern paulownia furniture, paulownia toys, and small paulownia items. Its paulownia chests are made to order, and it is listed among the participating workshops of the Kamo Kiri Tansu Festival.
Official site →How to Buy
- 桐の蔵 ショールーム
- Paulownia chests are displayed and sold in the showroom adjacent to the workshop. Among the listed products, general storage chests start at around 580,000 yen and Japanese-style chests at around 650,000 yen, and many pieces exceed 1 million yen.Where to buy →PR
- 加茂桐簞笥祭り
- An event organized by the Kamo Tansu Cooperative. In 2024 (the 23rd edition), it was held in October at the Kamo City Industrial Center, featuring a direct sale from the production area with more than 100 pieces on display, workshop tours, and a paulownia planing contest.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
加茂簞笥協同組合（桐簞笥工場見学）
新潟県加茂市幸町2-2-4
The cooperative accepts requests for tours of paulownia chest factories, where visitors can watch craftsmen making chests up close, and there is also a hands-on experience making small paulownia items. Available on weekdays only; contact the cooperative for fees and other details.
View details →FAQ
Q. Why are paulownia chests well suited to storing clothing?
A. Paulownia has the property of swelling to keep moisture out when outside humidity rises, and shrinking to improve ventilation when it is dry. Because it also contains components that prevent damage from insects and fungi, it is well suited to storing precious clothing such as kimono.
Q. Can an old paulownia chest be repaired?
A. Paulownia chests can be restored by planing down the surface and other methods, and are said to last more than 100 years. Some workshops in Kamo restore old paulownia chests in addition to making and selling new ones.