Nagiso Wood Turning is woodwork made mainly in Nagiso Town, Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture. Using the 'hikimono' (turned woodware) technique, in which a thick board or log is spun on a lathe (rokuro) and shaped by cutting with a plane blade, artisans make trays, bowls, teacup saucers, wooden bowls and more. It is said to have begun in the first half of the 18th century, when people called kijishi (woodturners), who excelled at turning wood, settled in this area. The materials are hardwoods with beautiful grain that grow in the Kiso Valley, such as tochi (Japanese horse chestnut), keyaki (zelkova), sen and katsura. Artisans judge the grain and quality of the wood and decide which item to make from each piece. The products come either as 'shiraki' (plain wood) left unfinished, or as 'urushi-fuki' (wipe-lacquered), in which lacquer is applied and wiped off. In 1980 it became a Traditional Craft Designated by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. At 'Kijishi no Sato' (the Woodturners' Village) in Azuma, Nagiso Town, workshops are clustered together, and visitors can watch the work and try hand-turning on a lathe.
Origin
Kijishi were artisans who moved from mountain to mountain in search of good wood and made their living by turning wooden vessels such as bowls on a lathe. They are said to have originated in the Ogura Valley (小椋谷) of Omi (present-day Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture) and spread across the country. The kijishi revered Prince Koretaka, who is said to have devised the lathe, as their ancestral deity. In Nagiso, such kijishi settled in the first half of the 18th century and began making turned woodware from the rich hardwoods of the Kiso Valley.
History
In the mid-Edo period, plain-wood turned woodware was made in great quantities in Nagiso. Wooden base products such as trays and bowls are said to have been shipped toward Nagoya and Osaka. The Owari Domain, which governed Kiso at the time, strictly restricted the felling of the Five Trees of Kiso, including hinoki cypress. Under these conditions, turned woodware using hardwoods other than the five trees is said to have been made as a local specialty. On March 3, 1980, it was designated a national Traditional Craft.
Features
The appeal of Nagiso Wood Turning is its simple, warm texture that brings out the natural wood grain. Artisans decide what to make, such as whether a piece becomes a tray or a bowl, according to the quality and character of carefully selected wood. Finishes include plain wood polished with tokusa (scouring rush) and urushi-fuki, in which lacquer is applied and wiped off. The beauty of the wood grain and the gentle feel in the hand are the hallmarks of the craftsmanship handed down through generations.
Techniques
Rokuro-biki (Lathe Turning)
A technique in which the wooden base is mounted on a lathe and spun while a plane blade is applied to cut it away little by little. At Kijishi no Sato, a hand-powered lathe reconstructed from old tools has also been passed down, and it can be used in hands-on experiences.
Urushi-fuki (Wipe Lacquering)
A method of finishing turned wooden bases by applying natural lacquer and wiping it off. Because the wood grain shows through even after lacquering, it highlights the beauty of the grain that is unique to hardwoods such as tochi and keyaki.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Selecting the Wood
The grain and quality of the wood are judged, and wood suited to the item to be made is chosen.
- 2
Cutting the Blanks
Pieces are cut from logs or thick boards to match the size of the vessel.
- 3
Drying
The wooden bases are dried thoroughly to prevent warping and cracking.
- 4
Finish Turning
The piece is spun on the lathe and turned to its final shape with a plane blade.
- 5
Tokusa Polishing or Urushi-fuki
The piece is either polished with tokusa and finished as plain wood, or lacquer is applied and wiped off.
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Artisans & Workshops
木地師の里 ヤマイチ
A workshop and shop in Kijishi no Sato in Azuma, Nagiso Town, headed by 小椋一男. Besides turning vessels from domestic wood, it makes dining tables, chairs and sashimono (joined) furniture, and it also has a lacquer workshop, so everything is finished in-house.
南木曽ろくろ工芸協同組合
The production-area association for Nagiso Wood Turning, located in Azuma, Nagiso Town. It supports the making of turned woodware handed down in the Azuma area since the Edo period, such as plain-wood and wipe-lacquered bowls, wooden bowls and trays.
How to Buy
- 木地師の里 ヤマイチ
- A shop selling Nagiso Wood Turning vessels and wooden furniture. Wooden plates about 21 to 24 cm in diameter start from about 3,300 yen. Open from 9:00 to 17:00, closed on Tuesdays. About 20 minutes by car from JR Nagiso Station.
Hands-on Experiences
木地師の里 ヤマイチ
長野県木曽郡南木曽町吾妻4689-239
Visitors try hand-turning on a lathe using reconstructed old tools, and also do painting. It takes about 1 hour, and the fee is about 5,500 yen from March 2026 (4,400 yen before that). For 2 or more people, by reservation. Closed on Tuesdays.
FAQ
Q. What kind of artisans are kijishi?
A. They are artisans who use a lathe to turn round vessels such as bowls and trays from wood. They are said to have lived by moving from mountain to mountain in search of good wood, and the Ogura Valley in Omi is considered their place of origin. Kijishi settled in Nagiso in the first half of the 18th century.
Q. What kind of place is Kijishi no Sato?
A. It is an area in Azuma, Nagiso Town, where several kijishi workshops are clustered together. The Nagiso Town Tourism Association introduces it as 'one of Japan's foremost sacred places of wood turning.' Distinctive products are on display, and visitors can also watch artisans at work and try hand-turning on a lathe.
Q. What other wooden crafts can be seen in Nagiso Town?
A. There are Araragi hinoki-gasa (woven hinoki hats), made by weaving hinoki cypress, and 'menpa,' bentwood lunch boxes. At 丸田屋 in Azuma, seiro (steaming baskets) and menpa made from Kiso wood are made and sold in demonstrations, with menpa starting from about 3,500 yen.
Q. What is the difference between shiraki and urushi-fuki?
A. Shiraki are products left as plain wood after being polished with tokusa, letting you enjoy the color and feel of the wood as it is. Urushi-fuki pieces are finished by applying natural lacquer and wiping it off, and the wood grain shows through beneath the hue of the lacquer. Both are finishes that bring out the natural wood grain.