The Beauty Drawn by the Curves of Japanese Traditional Woodcraft Oke
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- Communicate directly with the 4th generation artisan of this shop that was founded in 1882.Learn about tubs and wood.- Get an up close view of the craftsmanship involved in making tubs, which are made one by one according to traditional processes.- Try your hand at shaving wood with a carpenter’s plane.(*Adults only)/ - As “unsealed wooden containers,” tubs were a daily fixture in the lives of Japanese people in Edo period Japan and used for many purposes.Although they are often seen as the same thing, barrels are “sealed wooden containers” that were used to transport and store (ferment) foodstuffs. In Europe, they were used, among other things, to make wine.Made with wood from trees of around 100 years old, tubs were said to last for a hundred years and could continue to be used for many years if repaired. However, in recent years they have been replaced by mass-produced plastic products. There are now very few craftsmen who can make such tubs according to the processes that require over 30 steps, making them extremely precious.
Photos
View of a craftsman at work
View of a craftsman at work (close-up of hands using a carpenter’s plane)
Tub
View of Seki Post Town, where the workshop is located
Carpenter’s plane
Information
- Minimum Number of Passengers
- 1 person
- Maximum Capacity
- 4 participants
- Participation Restrictions
- Ages 12 and up/Children will not be allowed to use the carpenter’s plane out of safety concerns.
- Meeting and Exchange Areas
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Okeju
474-1 Sekicho Nakamachi, Kameyama City, Mie Prefecture - Open Period
- Year-round
- Closed Period
- Sometimes closed irregularly
- Meeting Times and Business Hours
- Begins at 1:00 p.m. (meet 5 minutes before start time).Start time can be adjusted to meet the customer’s wishes.
- Tour Schedule
- 1) Program starts/ 2) Lecture on tubs at the workshop from Mr. Takeshi Hattori, a fourth-generation craftsman at Okeju, with practical demonstrations/ 3) Hands-on experience with a carpenter’s plane/ 4) Hands-on experience adding the finishing touches to a “flower tub” ordered in advance. The amount of time required will vary depending on the progress of the guest’s handiwork.Guests will finish one flower tub to take home./5) Program ends
- Required Time
- 1–1.5 hours
- Provision of Meals
- Meals are not provided
- Universal accessibility
- Nothing in particular
- Parking
- Tourist parking lot available around a 5-minute walk away (with space for 4 large vehicles, 16 standard size vehicles)
- Notes
- - Skirts are not allowed, as guests will need to sit with a piece of wood between their legs when using the carpenter’s plane.Out of safety concerns, also avoid coming in shorts.
This basic information is current at the time of publication and is subject to change.
Please check the official website for the latest information.
