Kyo-Tsuzura / A4 Size

Product Description : Why is it so EXPENSIVE?

Product Story

General Product Information

These handmade tsuzura baskets are made to order, and each basket is individually made to order.
The lacquer applied to the surface has antibacterial, mothproof, and abundant effects. It is also breathable, making it a perfect item for storing not only kimonos, its belt, and other costumes, but also other important clothes worn on a daily basis. Please feel free to contact us about the size and personalization.

 Product History

When did these crafts start to craft?：1300 years ago / 700AD / Yamato period in Japan

Tsudura, which came from China, was woven from wisteria and willow, and a near-original version has been preserved in Shosoin (Japan's oldest treasure house which was built over 1200 years ago). Later, when the technology for processing bamboo was established, they were made into rectangular shapes as places to store costumes. Today, it is used by sumo wrestlers, Kabuki actors, and other central figures in Japanese culture to store costumes, kimonos, and tea ceremony utensils.

Craftsman Story

Craftsman Profile

Yoshikazu Watanabe / Watanabe Shoten
He is a craftsman who has been making Kyo-tsuzura baskets in Kyoto since 1931. Mr. Watanabe, now the third generation, handles everything from material selection to the finished product. He is the only craftsman in Japan who can call himself a Tsuzura-shi (Tsuzura craftsman). Watanabe Shoten is responsible for the production of "akeni" (a kind of travel bag used to store yukata) used in the sumo industry, and is recognized by the sumo industry, Japan's national sport, as a craftsman with proven skills.

Craftsman Passion

"Making Number One craft for customer to be Only One"
The reason why we only do made-to-order is to create the only one for our customers. And we have a confident that our craft will be number one item in your belongings! We hope you will experience our traditional skill, which is one of the few of its kind in the world.

Your Contribution to Craftsman

Customer Voice

Due to the market structure (link for full articles are attached bottom), craftsman have not known who the customer is and how customer reacts to their work. We made a “Message to Craftsman” box at purchase page. We will deliver all message to every craftsman. Our review will be also shared to craftsman so please leave your comment and evaluation on review section!

Income for Craftsman: Craftsman get only less than 10% of selling price?

As written above, craftsman have not controlled last phase of sales channel that resulting in selling price is set by third-party without craftsman’s recognition. There are some cases that only less than 10% of selling price is given to craftsman. We promise with our customer / craftsman that we offer the fair trade with craftsmen in our contract!

We made an article about above problem and our challenge. Please have a read from below link.
Current state of the Crafts Market / Benefits brought by Suigenkyo

Measurement

Width：32cm
Depth：23cm
Height：8cm
Weight：711g

Material & Caution

Materials

Bamboo
Lacquer
Japanese paper

Caution

Individual Difference

Each piece is handmade, so there are individual differences even in the same series. We hope that you will understand the change by handmade.

Made to Order

Basically, this product is made to order, so it takes about 2 months from order to delivery. Please note that there may be unavoidable delays in delivery due to material shortages or delays in the production process.