Miyamoto Kogei - Order Exhibition

【Miyamoto Kogei】

“Miyamoto Kogei” was founded in 1949 by Koji Miyamoto.

These basket bags, made by hand from start to finish using wild grape bark, are a traditional craft deeply rooted in Aomori.

These works, created over 50 years by skilled artisans who cherish the blessings of Aomori's nature, have now become extremely precious.

There are two types of materials used in Miyamoto Kogei's creations:

Wild grape bark and akebi vines.

The wild grape bark, which is the raw material, wraps around trees, and only the outer bark is peeled off.
It can only be harvested for one month, from June to July.
Due to changes in the natural environment and a decrease in harvesters, the material itself is very precious.

For akebi vines, high-quality ones harvested from Mt. Iwaki in Aomori are used.
In the past, akebi vines were so abundant that the mountain was called "Akebi-yama," but now only about 10% of the peak amount can be harvested. These creations are made by utilizing these precious blessings of the mountain.

Wild grape basket bags boast such strength that they were once used for farm work, as transport baskets, and even as materials for ropes and suspension bridges.
It is said that with proper care, they can be used for 100 to 150 years, literally cherished by three generations.

A characteristic of their production is that a single artisan handles all stages, from harvesting and drying the bark to the final completion.

The process of peeling the bark and weaving it is far from straightforward.
It is woven while being moistened with water, but care is taken to account for the shrinkage of the weave when it dries.
Unlike industrial products, natural materials are inflexible, and without the artisan's skill, completion would not be possible.

These precious basket bags cannot be mass-produced; only a limited number can be made.

Please take a look at these traditional Japanese crafts, whose future production is uncertain.

ANATOMICA KYOTO
Takemi