Wooden Carved Accessory Tray

Carved wooden trays have a long-standing tradition in Ainu heritage craft.

Nibutani-ita, a flat wooden tray, is a time-honoured craft item whose production techniques have been passed down through the generations in the region around the Saru River basin in southern Hokkaido. These trays are known for their distinctive spiral patterns (known as moreunoka) and intricately carved ramuramunoka (fish-scale patterns), which are typical Ainu motifs.

This rectangular accessory tray is produced at the Biratori Ainu Crafts and Heritage Center, also known as Urespa (ウレㇱパ, the Ainu word for ‘each other’). The centre opened in Nibutani, Hokkaido, in April 2019 to promote Ainu heritage crafts to visitors from both Japan and overseas.

If the product becomes dry, please apply a drying oil like linseed oil periodically. When using olive oil or similar oils, it can tend to become sticky, so please apply a small amount and thoroughly wipe it off before use.

Individual pieces vary in colour and size as each piece is handmade.

Size: Length 22cm x Width 9cm x Depth 1.6cm

Hokkaidō

Hokkaidō is the northernmost of Japan's main islands, largely unspoiled, and the least densely populated. It is known for its national parks, numerous world-class ski resorts, delicious seafood and the distinct culture of the indigenous Ainu population. While the summers are comfortably mild, winters are cold. Sapporo, the largest city, is home to the annual Snow Festival.