Kishiwada City, a city in Osaka Senshuu (the southwest part of Osaka Prefecture), is the area where Kiri Tansu(s) is being produced.
Tansu is Japanese chest of drawers occupies an important role in the house as storage furniture in Japan, while Kiri is Japanese word for Paulownia tomentosa. So, Kiri Tansu is Tansu made from Kiri Wood.
I went to the interview with Mr. Tomekawa. He is an artisan who is making Kiri Tansu with a precise and thorough method with an old good traditional skill that has been passed on since Tomekawa’s family business was established, from the first year of the Taisho Era (1912).
Story from Mr. Tomekawa,
A Skillful Kiri Wood Artisan
This time, we are going to have an interview with Mr. Noboru Tomekawa, the 4th head of the Tomekawa Company.
Profile
◎Noboru Tomekawa
Representative director of Tomekawa Co., Ltd.
On February 1997, Received award from Osaka Prefectural Governor at The Osaka Prefecture’s Craftsmen Work Exhibition
Has been succeeding the company for 20 years.
He was a very friendly person, that I was told by him about a lot of things from Kiri Tansu to the development of the new product. He also gladly guided and introduced the factory to me.
▼ Company’s Website
http://www.tomekawa.com/
Tomekawa’s Kiri Tansu
Tomekawa’s Kiri Tansu is Tansu made from Kiri Wood which have been produced continuously with traditional technique.
With their original coloring technology, even if you touch it directly with bare hands, the handwriting that is engraved on the wood does not stick to your hand. Furthermore, even if the box gets wet by some water, there is no need to worry about discoloration. Just wipe it gently.
The wood’s leaf buds are straight and smooth so the finished products are beautiful, and thick materials are carefully assembled, so it is very strong.
There are also designs that are sculpted on trays and the sliding doors of drawers.
The Charms of Kiri Tansu
The kiri (paulownia) wood has characteristic of humidity control, and it can protect clothes from moisture.
Furthermore, because there is little elongation and shrinkage due to moisture and drying, you can make a no-gap tansu.
The thermal conductivity of kiri wood is also low, so if the surface of the tansu is burned and carbonized it will be difficult for fire to pass through to the inside.
Components such as tannin and paulonin contained in kiri/paulownia wood showed the insecticidal effect.
Kiri Rice Bin
In old days, chest drawer made from paulownia wood (Kiri Tansu) was indispensable as a wedding tool, but its demand is decreasing year by year. Meanwhile, Mr. Tomekawa is developing new products one after another with good quality material of kiri wood and traditional technique.
Among them, the popular items are “Rice Bins” (in Japanese: 米びつ or komebitsu) which are handled at Kawashima the Japanstore.
With high level of technique, the craftsmen made the Kiri Rice Bins with high airtightness, it can protect rice from moisture and insects by its moisture control and insecticidal characteristic of kiri wood.
Paulownia/kiri wood is lighter and stronger than other type of wood, and it also has easy-to-handle feature that even if you put the rice in, the wood does not get heavy.
This is a in-production rice bin that can measure 1合* or 150 grams of rice .
* Note: 合 (gou) is a Japanese unit of measurement, usually used to measure rice, sake, etc. (1合 equal to approx. 150 grams, 0,18 liters, or 0,33 metres square).
It was pretty much trial-and-error, and I was also told about the difficulties of the product development!
This time, while I was shown the factory, the process of Kiri Rice Bin manufacture was demonstrated to me. Then, I asked for more detail about it.
From the Factory Until the Making Process of Kiri Rice Bin
The Factory
I am thrilled from just looking at the factory where many machines are lining up.
At this factory, craftsmen are carefully making Kiri Tansus one by one.
The picture above is a Kiri Tansu brought in to Tomekawa at the request of repair.
While making use of the materials that can be used, it seems that this old Kiri Tansu will be reformed into a design that fit to the modern life.
The Process Of Making Kiri Rice Bin
Mr. Tomekawa showed us the actual process of making Kiri Rice Bin!
The timber is dried thoroughly on the roof of the factory.
After this, the timber will be dried again in the machine until the moisture content is reduced to 5%.
The picture above is Mr. Tomekawa who explained how to use the moisture meter.
It is very important to dry the wood thoroughly.
After the drying process, the dried paulownia/kiri wood will be cut to the required length.
In order for the boards to fit the other boards perfectly, the tip of the boards are aligned diagonally.
Adjust the connections and glue it.
Strap securely with a string so that the bonded part will not come off.
Once the boards are firmly adhered, any unevennesses or roughnesses on the surface of the Kiri Rice Bin will be smoothened up.
From this, the Kiri Rice Bin will undergo the finishing process by burning it.
Although this burning-for-hardening process is not usually done, only type of products that are required to be hardened undergone this process for coloring purpose.
By coloring the box, besides for the purpose to avoid discoloration, prevent dirt from being visible, and also for the woof grain to rise beautifully, the inside of the bin will be hard to burn when faced with fire if it is burned and carbonized on the surface.
The burning process is very technical. Changing the way fire is applied by a subtle change, will result in different hardness of the board.
Once the whole surfaces of the bin are burned nicely, wax is applied on.
By giving wax to the bin’s surface, the wood grain will rise up glossy and beautiful.
A great Kiri Rice Bin with very beautiful wood grain is completed.
The picture above is Mr. Tomekawa who talked a lot to me in front of some pretty Kiri Tansus. The factory tour was very fun and I was without fail able to catch the charisma of kiri/paulownia wood products.
I was very grateful for the chance.
Tomekawa Tansu’s Kiri Rice Bin Products
Here in Kawashima the Japanstore, we have a wide variety of rice bins made with kiri wood with different sizes and types.
Check out these products too!
