2020.03.27
Timber from Nara Prefecture, especially Yoshino timber, is a beautiful wood with few knots, tight grain and straight wood, and is useful as a luxury wood in Japanese-style rooms and interior furniture of wooden houses. This feature of Yoshino timber is a tree planting method called dense planting (multi-thinning), in which trees are extremely densely planted and weak thinning is repeated many times, so that the thickness is constant from the root to the top of the top It is created by growing up.
There are many workshops in Yoshino that have this commitment and desire for Yoshino timber.
The four workshops that represent Yoshino, who produce furniture that makes use of the beautiful wood grain and wood skin of Yoshino Lumber, with the feeling of being raised and passed down through generations. Here are the messages from each creator.
studio Jig uses the plywood technology called “Free Form Lamination” obtained in Ireland where he trained to produce furniture with a design that makes use of the characteristics of Yoshino cedar, “Long length innocence”.
By constructing a three-dimensional structure without breaking the wood fibers, even light and soft cedar wood can achieve the strength of furniture. In addition, the cubic curve that draws a gentle curve gives an impression unlike wood.
Please experience studio Jig furniture that realizes the strength as furniture while retaining the warmth and feel unique to cedar wood.
studio Jig
Address: Otaki, Kawakami-mura, Yoshino-gun, Nara
＞studio Jig Homepage
KIRIDAS is run by a group of woodworkers working in Totsukawa Village.
In addition to “KIRIDAS ORIGINAL”, which uses wood from Totsukawa Village to make the best use of cedar and cypress, and handles everything from design to production in Totsukawa Village, “ TOTSUKAWALIVING ” supervised by furniture designer Eritoshi Iwakura We produce original products and custom-made furniture for each craftsman.
KIRIDAS Totsugawa
Address: Yamazaki, Totsukawa Village, Yoshino-gun, Nara Prefecture
＞KIRIDAS Totsugawa Homepage
From IZURU Izuru Woodworking, “I think that it is absolutely necessary to be a good chair that is durable, comfortable to use, comfortable to wear, and beautiful.” Yoshino wood is a gentle and beautiful wood grain Healing those who use it with a wonderful scent, smooth touch, and will delight the change of texture due to aging. We are aiming for a “long-lasting chair” that will not only get long-lasting, but also get tired of people over time.
IZURU Iizuru Woodwork
Address: Takino, Higashiyoshino-mura, Yoshino-gun, Nara
＞IZURU Iizuru Woodwork Homepage
Furniture of Shimoichi Woodworking Building Ichi is finished while shaping Yoshino cedar with a plane. Plane finishing technology that brings out the beauty and warmth of the tree itself by performing the process from molding to finishing with a plane without using sandpaper. Rethinking the culture of wood and planes in Japan has created new furniture that embraces modern living.
Shimoichi Woodworking Building ichi
Address: Aichiga, Shimoichi-cho, Yoshino-gun, Nara
＞Shimoichi Woodworking Building Homepage
[Kyoto Hachikan]Winter trip to Ohara, Kyoto, with a view of the snowy landscape and Osechi cuisine.
“Kyoto Whiskey” from Kyoto’s first whiskey distillery
“Delicious Ukiyo-e Exhibition” that unravels Edo’s food culture
[Koishikawa Korakuen] A class on how to make delicious Japanese green tea will be held on January 29, 2012.
Uchina Stay Report vol.2: “Is it cold in our winter? ~ Superb view of blue and Sakurazaka Theater ~”
Maiko dinner show where you can easily experience Japanese traditional culture
Nara
Countrywide
Kagawa
Kyoto
Countrywide
Nippon Kodo launches limited-edition incense and incense burner sets with a ‘Snake’ design, the Chinese zodiac sign for 2025.
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[ Kimuraya (department store)]Snowman’ is available only during the Christmas period. Japanese Stollen, made with traditional sake-type dough and Japanese ingredients, is on sale again this year.
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Nagasaki’s famous New Year 2025 New Year’s limited edition Kujuukushima zodiac crackers are on sale.
Nagasaki
Godiva supervises Yatsuhashi and launches Yatsuhashi Chocolat on Fri 22 Nov.
Kyoto
[Hinodeya Confectionery and Fujioka En]Limited sale of hojicha dango made with Toyama stick tea.
Toyama
Limited edition original gin ‘NISHI-GIN’, jointly produced by a group of restaurants in Nishijin, on sale from 25 November.
2024.12.20
Nippon Kodo launches limited-edition incense and incense burner sets with a ‘Snake’ design, the Chinese zodiac sign for 2025.
2024.12.18
Winter special parfait at the Unjo Saryo café in the Tale of Genji Museum, Uji, Kyoto.
2024.12.16
OnigiriBurger ‘Eel Kabayaki – Double Eggs’, newly launched as part of Kansai International Airport OnigiriBurger 1st anniversary menu.
2024.12.13
[New Furano Prince Hotel]This year’s plan to enjoy a snow fairy ‘zebra finch’ birdwatching experience and a lunch set with a zebra finch cake plate.
2024.12.11
Third FUKUCHA brand shop ‘Uji Store’ opens.
2024.12.09
Hiroshima
Art
Simose Art Museum, located in Otake City, Hiroshima Prefecture, has been awarded the prestigious Versailles Prize as the “Most Beautiful Museum in the World.”
The award ceremony took place on December 2 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, marking a historic moment for the museum and Japanese architecture.
The Versailles Prize Website:https://www.prix-versailles.com/2024
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Food
December sees the arrival of a number of Christmas breads. The Snowman with his cute smiling face is a sweet loaf with two different flavours: pudding cream and chocolate cream. It is a heartwarming treat with flavours that both children and adults can enjoy.
Also back this year is the popular Japanese Stollen, which was a big hit last year. This is a special cake that can only be tasted at Kimuraya, using Japanese-inspired ingredients such as persimmons, figs and koshi-an (sweet bean paste). Please take this opportunity to try Kimuraya’s limited edition Christmas bread.
Hiroshima
Art
The Hiroshima Museum of Art is hosting the exhibition “ZIPANGU: Contemporary Artists Who Defined the Heisei Era” (November 2, 2024 – December 22, 2024). This showcase brings together works by some of the most prominent figures in Japan’s contemporary art scene, including Yayoi Kusama, Takashi Murakami, Makoto Aida, Yoshitomo Nara, Chiharu Shiota, Izumi Kato, Akira Yamaguchi, and Miwa Komatsu. The exhibition has already garnered significant attention, exceeding 10,000 visitors.
HYAKKEI covered the dialogue between contemporary artist Takashi Murakami and Sueo Mizuma, the curator of this exhibition, held at the RIHGA Royal Hotel Hiroshima. We also conducted an exclusive interview with Mr. Mizuma.
The discussions centered on the aspirations behind the ZIPANGU exhibition and offered forward-looking insights, not only into Japan’s art world but also into the rediscovery of value within Japanese culture by its people.
Osaka
Food
Event
From 25 Oct (Fri) to 8 Dec (Sun), 2024, a pop-up shop for miffy café tokyo will be held in Umeda, Osaka.
Hiroshima
Travel
Culture
Two types of paper seals made exclusively for autumn, ‘Chrysanthemum and Tanzaku’ and ‘Autumn Leaves and Candles’, have been available since Monday 9 September at Daisho-in Temple on the World Heritage island of Miyajima. Quantities are limited and will run out as soon as they are gone.
Kyoto
Restaurant
Event
On selected days in September 2024, the wedding venue Kyoto Art Grace Wedding Hills will offer a ‘Hanari Otsukimi Afternoon Tea’, where guests can enjoy sweets and savouries inspired by the moon viewing on the fifteenth night of the month.
