Wooden Board with Handle - Medium

This wooden board was handcrafted in Iwate Prefecture from high-quality paulownia wood scraps left over from the production of Iwayado Tansu, ornate chests of drawers with origins in the 12th century. The craftspeople only use the finest quality trees, often centuries old, to make Iwayado Tansu. The felled trees are processed into planks and left to dry naturally for several years to reduce cracks and warps which could otherwise be caused by uneven changes in moisture content. In order to avoid wasting precious material a detailed cutting plan is made to process the planks and cut them to size. The small amount of scraps left from this process are then cut and planed to size to create these cutting boards. Just like Iwayado Tansu, the boards are coated several times in fine layers of urushi (derived from Japanese lacquer tree sap), which accentuates the wood grain and provides increased durability.

Size: L20 cm x W15 cm x H1.7 cm

Tōhoku

Tōhoku consists of six prefectures located in the north-east of Honshu island. This region is known for its hot spring (onsen) resorts, colourful festivals, remote sacred mountains and harsh winters. In 2011, the devastating earthquake and tsunami hit the region hard; however, the massive efforts in reconstruction are proof of the people’s resilience. Urushi (lacquer) ware, ironware and the crafting of kokeshi dolls make up but a few of the local industries in this lesser-visited region of Japan.