[Aomori Prefecture] Not just food! Shining techniques from Tohoku! 5 selections of craft souvenirs

Aomori Prefecture is located in the northernmost part of the Tohoku region.

Many people travel to this area because they are drawn to its beautiful nature, Sannai Maruyama ruins, Nebuta Festival, and rich food culture. Aomori has developed a variety of handicrafts amidst the harsh winter conditions.

The prefecture protects everyday items made using traditional handcraft techniques by designating them as ``Aomori Prefecture Traditional Crafts.''

This time, we will introduce five crafts that are representative of Aomori and have been designated by the prefecture. Would you like to find a special dish born in Aomori?

Speaking of Aomori crafts, this is it! "Tsugaru lacquer"

The first thing I would like to introduce is "Tsugaru-nuri".

This is a technique that has been passed down in the Tsugaru region, located in the western part of the prefecture, to make wooden tableware and other items using lacquer. It is Aomori's largest traditional craft, developed during the Edo period under the protection of the Hirosaki clan.

It is famous for its standard products, chopsticks, as well as tableware such as bowls, sweets trays, jubako boxes, and trays, but it also makes flower vases, tables, hand mirrors, fountain pens, and more.

It is made from high-quality cypress wood from Aomori, and is then coated with lacquer over and over again, polished, and polished over a period of more than a year. The lacquering technique, which involves over 40 long steps, is a sophisticated craftsmanship that has been designated as a national important intangible cultural property, and has been increasingly recognized internationally in recent years. Tsugaru lacquerware is both beautiful and durable, making it a souvenir that will last a lifetime.

Lovely and nostalgic “Tsugaru Kokeshi”

Next, we would like to introduce kokeshi dolls, which have been popular among the common people as children's toys since the Edo period.

There are 11 production areas in Tohoku, and the Tsugaru region is one of them.

Tsugaru Kokeshi dolls are carved from a single piece of wood and are characterized by an okappa head, a constriction, and a wide hem. Brightly colored pictures such as peonies, daruma, and Ainu patterns are sometimes drawn.

Recently, we have expanded beyond the traditional girl shape to products such as zodiac signs, dolls, and even the much-talked-about Amabie-shaped kokeshi dolls, as well as netsuke dolls and ear picks with small kokeshi dolls. In addition, at the Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum (Kuroishi City), an exhibition facility related to kokeshi dolls, you can try painting your own kokeshi dolls and create your own original kokeshi dolls. Each simple kokeshi doll is hand-painted by a craftsman, making it the perfect traditional souvenir.

“Kogin-zashi” is a stylish sashiko created to protect against the cold.

``Kogin-zashi'' is a type of sashiko (embroidery) that has been passed down in Hirosaki and Aomori cities in the Tsugaru region. In addition to clothing such as kimono sashes, ties, and slippers, they also make bags, purses, and accessories such as book covers, coin purses, and bookmarks.

Now, how did Kogin-zashi, one of Japan's three major sashiko techniques, come into being?　

During the Edo period, farmers in Tsugaru were prohibited from using cotton in order to be frugal. So I wore a linen kimono, but linen was too cold in the bitter cold. For this reason, he devised a way to add sashiko to the kimono to make it as warm as possible...this was the beginning of kogin-zashi.

Kogin-zashi is hand-embroidered with cotton thread on indigo-dyed linen fabric, allowing you to enjoy the contrast between the color of the cloth and the white thread, as well as the beautiful geometric patterns.

100% natural materials! "Akebitsuru Zaiku" full of healing and natural warmth

``Akebi vine work'', as the name suggests, is a craft made of woven akebita vines.

During the Edo period, they began to be made as souvenirs for visitors to hot springs in Hirosaki City, where there is a hot spring, but it seems that something similar already existed in the Jomon period. Even now, they are still made by carefully hand-weaving akebia vines collected from the mountains, just like in the olden days.

Products such as baskets, stools, lampshades, and trays feature glossy colors and the warmth of nature. Although it is a natural material that uses plants as is, it is highly durable, and the more you use it, the more it fits in your hand. There is also a workshop that accepts repairs, and the old custom of repairing old items and using them still remains. The shape of the bag is also quite stylish.

Stylish and modern eco woodwork “Bunaco”

The last product we would like to introduce is BUNACO, which is a wood product made from beech wood by Bunaco Co., Ltd. in Hirosaki City.

Bunaco began with research at the prefectural testing station in the 1950s.

Although it has a shorter history than other Aomori traditional crafts, it has been praised for its modern and stylish form and unique ecological manufacturing method. It won the prefecture's first Good Design Award in 2012, and was used at the Toyako Summit in 2008.

They make effective use of local resources in Aomori, Japan's number one beech producing region, and form them by rolling and stacking thinly sliced ​​pieces of wood like wigs. Thanks to this manufacturing method, we can create unique shapes, and in addition to tableware, we also produce interior products such as lampshades, stools, tissue boxes, and speakers.

INFORMATION

• Bunaco Co., Ltd. website: http://www.bunaco.co.jp/

summary

This time, we introduced 5 crafts as souvenirs from Aomori. Rather than being sublime works of art, they are everyday objects that are used in everyday life. The quality is good, and once you get it, you can use it for a long time, and the more you use it, the more it tastes. It's great to buy not only for friends, family, and colleagues, but also as a treat for yourself. Nowadays, we are developing products that match the times without being bound by tradition, and people are beginning to reconsider traditional, simple, and good things, so why not buy a craft unique to Aomori as a souvenir?