Koematsu Woodwork is woodwork from Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, made from koematsu, the heartwood at the center of the trunks of old pine trees several hundred years old. Koematsu contains a great deal of pine resin (matsuyani), has a lustrous sheen, and when held up to the light, its growth rings show through in red. It is finished as bare wood without any coloring, and the more it is used, the more its luster deepens as it turns reddish brown. In Kagawa, with its warm climate and little rain, high-quality koematsu has long been available, and woodwork is said to have been made from it since the Edo period. The craft once came close to dying out, but right after the war the woodturner (kijishi) 有岡良益 revived it at the urging of the lacquer artist Isoi Joshin. In fiscal 1990 (Heisei 2), it was designated a Kagawa Prefecture Designated Traditional Craft, and tea utensils, tea saucers, tableware, trays and other items are made. The old pine trees used as material have become almost impossible to obtain, and it is becoming a precious craft.
Origin
Koematsu refers to the central part of pine trees several hundred years old, particularly the part that contains a great deal of pine resin. It is also called 老松 ('old pine') in the Kanto region and 脂松 ('resin pine') in the Kansai region, and 'koematsu' is said to be a name unique to the Setouchi (Seto Inland Sea) region. In Kagawa, with its warm climate and little rain, koematsu with beautiful reddish grain has grown since long ago, and woodwork has been made from it since the Edo period. Kagawa's koematsu is said to be exclusively Japanese black pine (kuromatsu).
History
Koematsu woodworking continued from the Edo period but at one point nearly disappeared. Right after the war, 有岡良益, a woodturner who made the wooden bases to be lacquered under the lacquer artist Isoi Joshin, had that skill recognized and was encouraged to revive koematsu woodworking. クラフト・アリオカ (Craft Arioka), the business 有岡良益 founded, was passed on to the founder's son, 有岡良員. In fiscal 1990 (Heisei 2), Koematsu Woodwork became one of the sixth group of items designated as Kagawa Prefecture Designated Traditional Crafts.
Features
Koematsu is so rich in resin that lacquer or other coatings applied to it peel off. For this reason, クラフト・アリオカ finishes its pieces simply by applying olive oil. The wood grain stands out vividly, and when held up to the light, the parts rich in pine resin show through in red. If you keep wiping a piece with a dry cloth after use, the resin in the dense latewood (akime) seeps into the earlywood (harume), and the color and luster of the whole piece deepen. It is also said to be a vessel that is completed by the person who uses it.
Techniques
Long-Term Natural Drying
Koematsu is a wood with strong tendencies to move, and even after being cut into boards it warps and bends. For this reason, it is left to dry naturally for at least 20 to 30 years, and in some cases for about 50 years, until those tendencies have fully played out before it is used. If drying is insufficient, the pine resin inside may ooze out like honey with changes in temperature.
Sanuki-Style Lathe and Kisage
At クラフト・アリオカ, vessels are turned on a lathe called the 'Sanuki style' or 'Kagawa style,' which rotates perpendicular to the ground. For finishing, a blade called a 'kisage,' devised by the previous head, 有岡良益, by modifying a steel saw, is used to smooth the pine's easily rippling surface to a mirror-like finish.
Materials Used
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Artisans & Workshops
クラフト・アリオカ
A combined shop and workshop in Takamatsu City, founded after the war by the woodturner 有岡良益. Today the founder's son 有岡良員, a Kagawa Prefecture Traditional Craftsperson, makes koematsu tea utensils, tableware, sake vessels, trays and more. In a 2024 interview, he said that if he really set to work, his remaining stock of koematsu would last only about two more years.
Official site →How to Buy
- クラフト・アリオカ (workshop and department store exhibitions)
- The workshop doubles as a shop, but it is in a residential area about 20 minutes by car from JR Takamatsu Station. 有岡良員 mainly sells through exhibitions at department stores and sometimes gives demonstrations at the venues. A 2020 feature article listed a small koematsu bowl (4.5 sun) at 10,000 yen (excluding tax).Where to buy →PR
FAQ
Q. Why does it glow red when held up to the light?
A. Because koematsu contains a great deal of pine resin. When a piece is held up to the light, the resin-rich parts sparkle and the growth rings show through in red. Even after decades of natural drying the resin remains, so the wood feels smooth and moist to the touch, and its color also deepens over time.
Q. How should koematsu vessels be cared for?
A. After use, rinse them quickly with water and dry them in a well-ventilated place out of direct sunlight. It is said that if you wipe them with a dry cloth, ideally every day at first, the pine resin spreads throughout and the color and luster improve. Because they are wooden vessels, they rarely break even if dropped.
Q. Why is Koematsu Woodwork so precious?
A. The material comes from old pine trees more than 300 years old that have accumulated plenty of pine resin. Old trees have declined due to pests and other causes, and the remaining black pines cannot easily be cut down. In addition, drying takes more than 20 years, making it difficult to secure new material.