Wooden Carved Coaster
木彫りのコースター
£90.00 per item
A hand-carved wooden coaster featuring distinctive Ainu heritage patterns, produced by artisans in Nibutani, Hokkaido.
This wooden coaster is produced at the Biratori Ainu Crafts and Heritage Center, also known as Urespa (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.
The wooden coaster is a smaller version of Nibutani-ita, a handcrafted wooden tray originating in the Saru River region in southern Hokkaido. The surface is adorned with distinctive Ainu patterns such as moreunoka (spiral patterns), ramuramunoka (fish-scale patterns) and sik-noka (eye-shaped patterns). Using production techniques that have been passed down through the generations, the patterns are carved into walnut, a popular material along with katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) for Nibutani-ita, and finished with beeswax.
Individual pieces vary in colour and size as each piece is handmade.
Size: Length 11cm x Width 11cm x Depth 2cm
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.
