Beppu Bamboo Crafts

  • Wood, bamboo crafts
  • Oita

Beppu Bamboo Crafts Beppu Take Zaiku

Beppu Bamboo Craft is known for its graceful forms and flexibility, created by splitting high-quality madake bamboo into fine strips and weaving them according to their intended use. A wide range of techniques, including square, hexagonal, and twill-style weaving, are used to make flower baskets, trays, bags, and many other items. It was designated a Traditional Craft by the Japanese government in 1979.

Description

What is Beppu Bamboo Crafts ?

Beppu Bamboo Craft is a traditional bamboo craft produced mainly in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture. On August 3, 1979, it was designated as a Traditional Craft by the Japanese government.

The principal material is high-quality madake bamboo grown in Oita Prefecture. Depending on the type and purpose of the product, other bamboo varieties such as hachiku, kuro-chiku, goma-dake, medake, and shinodake may also be used.

The defining feature of Beppu Bamboo Craft is henso, the technique of weaving and interlacing finely prepared bamboo strips to create three-dimensional forms.

Eight weaving methods are included among the nationally designated traditional techniques: yotsume-ami, mutsume-ami, yatsume-ami, ajiro-ami, gozamme-ami, nawame-ami, rinko-ami, and kikuzoko-ami.

By combining and adapting these basic structures, artisans create a wide range of patterns and forms. Products include baskets, flower baskets, serving baskets, bags, interior objects, lighting, and highly refined works of bamboo art.

Preparing the bamboo strips requires considerable skill. Traditional processes include fushimawashi for preparing the nodes, hagi for splitting the bamboo into thin layers, suki for adjusting thickness, habatori for controlling width, and mentori for beveling the edges. These steps produce uniform strips suited to the intended form and weaving technique.

After weaving, the rim is finished using methods such as tomobuchi, atebuchi, or makibuchi. Handles and bases may then be attached when required. Some pieces are further finished with dyeing, lacquer, or sabi-style lacquer treatments, creating surfaces that range from the natural color of bamboo to deep, polished lacquer finishes.

History

One traditional account of the origins of Beppu Bamboo Craft is associated with the legendary journey of Emperor Keiko.

According to local tradition, when Emperor Keiko stopped in the Beppu area during his travels in Kyushu, one of his attendants noticed the abundance of high-quality bamboo and made a mego, a basket used to hold rice bowls. This account is best understood as a traditional origin story rather than as securely documented history.

Beppu bamboo work is said to have begun developing as a local industry during the Muromachi period, when baskets were produced for use by traveling merchants.

During the Edo period, Beppu became widely known as a hot-spring resort and attracted visitors from across Japan. Bamboo household utensils, including rice baskets and strainers used by visitors during their stays, became popular as souvenirs. Growing demand helped establish bamboo work as an important local industry.

During the Meiji period, Beppu bamboo products developed beyond everyday goods and souvenirs into increasingly sophisticated craftwork. In 1902, a technical apprentice school was established by Beppu and Hamawaki to train bamboo craftspeople. Its bamboo-basketry course provided systematic instruction and helped establish the technical foundation of modern Beppu bamboo craftsmanship.

In 1938, the Oita Prefectural Industrial Research Institute opened a Beppu craft guidance facility, and in 1939 a vocational training institution was established that later developed into the present Oita Prefectural Bamboo Craft Training Center. These institutions played an important role in technical development and the training of future craftspeople.

After World War II, demand for ordinary bamboo household goods declined with the spread of inexpensive plastic products. Beppu artisans responded by placing greater emphasis on advanced craftsmanship, design, and artistic expression.

In 1967, Beppu-born artist Shono Shounsai became the first bamboo artist to be designated a Holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property, commonly known as a Living National Treasure.

On August 3, 1979, Beppu Bamboo Craft was designated as a Traditional Craft by the Japanese government.

Today, artisans in and around Beppu continue to preserve traditional bamboo-strip preparation and weaving techniques while producing everything from practical household items to contemporary works of bamboo art.

Production Process

  1. 1. Harvesting and removal of oil Good quality green bamboo is harvested after three or four years of growing in a grove. It is then cut to size and boiled in water mixed with caustic soda for about fifteen minutes to remove excess oil.
  2. 2. Sun drying After boiling, the bamboo is laid in the sun to dry and turn a beautiful ivory yellow. After drying, it is known as sarashi (bleached) bamboo and is the main bamboo product used by weavers.
  3. 3. Rough cutting The sun-dried bamboo is cut to the required lengths using a rough cutting tool. The joint sections are cut off before splitting the bamboo in half along its grain with a knife. This step is repeated many times and although it seems to be a simple task, it actually takes about three years of practice to be able to cut straight, thin, and well-balanced split pieces.
  4. 4. Skinning The bamboo pieces are removed of their soft, inner layer and split into narrower, thinner lengths in the following order: roughly skinning, splitting in small pieces, and lightly skinning. For rough skinning, the pieces are stripped until the ratio of exterior bark to the interior is about 4:6.
  5. 5. Finishing thin bamboo strips A tool called a sukisen gives a uniform thickness to the strips. Also a uniform width is achieved by pulling the strips between two small blades and the corners are rounded off with a chamfer knife in preparation for weaving.
  6. 6. Weaving the base In bamboo weaving, the bottom section requires the highest skill level as it is difficult to create a solid body from a flat surface. For this step, the bamboo is softened over a flame.
  7. 7. Weaving the body The body of the bamboo craft is woven as a continuous piece. Based on the design and purpose, the weaving technique is changed or spaced.
  8. 8. Finishing the rim and adding handles The weaving process is complete after the rim is woven. There are several rim finishing techniques: a continuation of the main body, a solid bamboo rim fixed with bamboo strips or wire, or Japanese wisteria wrapping around the rim. Green or white baskets are not lacquer-coated or dyed and are ready for use once the rim and handles have been added.
  9. 9. Coating Coating involves applying an undercoat of dye, boiling, and after drying, polishing the article gently with a cloth. Too much pressure while polishing can damage the bamboo and cause a loss of shine so careful attention is paid. Raw lacquer is often used as a finish. However, sometimes concentrated colored lacquer or raw lacquer is applied to give an antique finish.
    Since lacquer will only dry under the right temperature and humidity, the woven lacquered works are left in a wooden room specially designed to retain moisture. Some pieces will be decorated further before they are finished and ready for use.

Facility Information

Beppu Traditional Bamboo Crafts Center

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