The Beauty Drawn by the Curves of Japanese Traditional Woodcraft Oke

The Beauty Drawn by the Curves of Japanese Traditional Woodcraft Oke

- 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 However, in recent years they have been replaced by mass-produced plastic products.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

View of a craftsman at work (close-up of hands using a carpenter’s plane)

View of a craftsman at work (close-up of hands using a carpenter’s plane)

Tub

Tub

View of Seki Post Town, where the workshop is located

View of Seki Post Town, where the workshop is located

Carpenter’s plane

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
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) 1:00 p.m.: Program starts/ 2) 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Lecture on tubs at the workshop from Mr. Takeshi Hattori, a fourth-generation craftsman at Okeju, with practical demonstrations/ 3) 1:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.: Hands-on experience with a carpenter’s plane/ 4) 1:45 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.: 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) 2:30 p.m.: 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.

Map

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