The Nemagari bamboo craft of the Oguni area in Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture, varied from one hamlet to another. Some specialized in making sieves, while others focused on baskets.
The Nemagari bamboo harvested around Lake Oguni, where fields of Nikkōkisuge grow in abundance, is a type of dwarf bamboo that grows in cold, snowy mountains at high altitudes, and its diameter is about 0.20 to 0.31 inches.
Since the early Edo period, people have crafted this Nemagari bamboo using only a hatchet, making daily tools such as sieves and baskets for everyday life.
Bamboo work in this region also served as an important source of income during winter, when farming could not be done.
This is a large basket called Momidōshi. Since it is now rarely used for its original purpose, we propose it as a “Vegetable Drying Basket.” It comes in two sizes: medium and large.
Nemagari bamboo craft from Oguni is characterized by its simplicity, ruggedness, and strength. Artisans do not make the strips too uniform in width; they often use thicker strips or even half-split pieces of Nemagari bamboo as they are.
Rather than shaping the basket freely according to their preference, they make use of the natural flexibility and strength of Nemagari bamboo, and then carefully adjust the shape by hand. Though the weave may not be perfectly even, the basket’s firm and solid structure is a defining feature.
Both sizes are made in nearly the same way.
The entire basket is based on the Mutsume-ami pattern, a weave of hexagonal openings.Because of its large size, a thick strip of bamboo runs horizontally around the middle section.For the same reason, reinforcing bamboo strips sometimes run vertically along the sides.The part that makes this basket especially sturdy—and also the most time-consuming to craft—is the rim.This technique is called Sendan-maki, a method of wrapping the rim as tightly as possible without gaps. The rim is also wrapped with the outer skin of young Nemagari bamboo, which shows the flexibility of the material.Depending on the materials and the artisan’s process, some baskets may feature a rim wrapped through each opening instead of the Sendan-maki style.These variations have long been part of the region’s production style, and the strength of the basket remains fully sufficient.The bottom shows a series of countless beautiful hexagons.In its original use, stalks of rice with ears were rubbed or shaken here, so that only the grains would fall through the wide openings.On the lower half of the sides, an extra horizontal strip is added through the center of each hexagon, a technique known as Metsubushi. This helps prevent grains from scattering out sideways, showing that this basket was designed for practical use.Reinforcing strips also run through the base, and depending on the materials and artisan, two or three reinforcing pieces may be used. Please note that the arrangement may differ from the photos.You may also notice small cracks or splits in some bamboo strips, but these are not defects and do not affect daily use.
We will now introduce each size.
This is the medium size.Although it is called “medium,” it measures about 19.69″ in diameter, large enough for household use.This is the large size.It has a diameter of about 23.62″—perfect for farm work or drying plenty of vegetables.
Since Nemagari bamboo work from Oguni makes use of the natural bends of the material, a variation of about 1.2″ to 2.0″ in shape or size is common. We recommend allowing a little extra room when considering the dimensions.
It can of course be used as a Momidōshi basket in its original way, but because it has a wide, flat base, it is also ideal for drying vegetables or mountain greens.
With its moderate depth, it is also useful for carrying harvested produce. In shops, the authentic texture of this bamboo craft will also highlight the beauty of displayed items.
Some customers even use it creatively as a lampshade, attaching washi paper to make the most of its Mutsume-ami pattern.
This Nemagari bamboo craft carries the rustic charm of nature, and its quiet, earthy character will surely serve you well in your daily outdoor work.
Please note: This item ships from Japan. As the buyer, you are responsible for any import duties, customs fees, or local taxes that may be charged in your country. These costs are not included in the item price or shipping cost. Please check with your local customs authority if you are unsure about any potential charges before placing your order.
The Nemagari bamboo craft of the Oguni area in Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture, varied from one hamlet to another. Some specialized in making sieves, while others focused on baskets.
The Nemagari bamboo harvested around Lake Oguni, where fields of Nikkōkisuge grow in abundance, is a type of dwarf bamboo that grows in cold, snowy mountains at high altitudes, and its diameter is about 0.20 to 0.31 inches.
Since the early Edo period, people have crafted this Nemagari bamboo using only a hatchet, making daily tools such as sieves and baskets for everyday life.
Bamboo work in this region also served as an important source of income during winter, when farming could not be done.
This is a large basket called Momidōshi. Since it is now rarely used for its original purpose, we propose it as a “Vegetable Drying Basket.” It comes in two sizes: medium and large.
Nemagari bamboo craft from Oguni is characterized by its simplicity, ruggedness, and strength. Artisans do not make the strips too uniform in width; they often use thicker strips or even half-split pieces of Nemagari bamboo as they are.
Rather than shaping the basket freely according to their preference, they make use of the natural flexibility and strength of Nemagari bamboo, and then carefully adjust the shape by hand. Though the weave may not be perfectly even, the basket’s firm and solid structure is a defining feature.
Both sizes are made in nearly the same way.
The entire basket is based on the Mutsume-ami pattern, a weave of hexagonal openings.Because of its large size, a thick strip of bamboo runs horizontally around the middle section.For the same reason, reinforcing bamboo strips sometimes run vertically along the sides.The part that makes this basket especially sturdy—and also the most time-consuming to craft—is the rim.This technique is called Sendan-maki, a method of wrapping the rim as tightly as possible without gaps. The rim is also wrapped with the outer skin of young Nemagari bamboo, which shows the flexibility of the material.Depending on the materials and the artisan’s process, some baskets may feature a rim wrapped through each opening instead of the Sendan-maki style.These variations have long been part of the region’s production style, and the strength of the basket remains fully sufficient.The bottom shows a series of countless beautiful hexagons.In its original use, stalks of rice with ears were rubbed or shaken here, so that only the grains would fall through the wide openings.On the lower half of the sides, an extra horizontal strip is added through the center of each hexagon, a technique known as Metsubushi. This helps prevent grains from scattering out sideways, showing that this basket was designed for practical use.Reinforcing strips also run through the base, and depending on the materials and artisan, two or three reinforcing pieces may be used. Please note that the arrangement may differ from the photos.You may also notice small cracks or splits in some bamboo strips, but these are not defects and do not affect daily use.
We will now introduce each size.
This is the medium size.Although it is called “medium,” it measures about 19.69″ in diameter, large enough for household use.This is the large size.It has a diameter of about 23.62″—perfect for farm work or drying plenty of vegetables.
Since Nemagari bamboo work from Oguni makes use of the natural bends of the material, a variation of about 1.2″ to 2.0″ in shape or size is common. We recommend allowing a little extra room when considering the dimensions.
It can of course be used as a Momidōshi basket in its original way, but because it has a wide, flat base, it is also ideal for drying vegetables or mountain greens.
With its moderate depth, it is also useful for carrying harvested produce. In shops, the authentic texture of this bamboo craft will also highlight the beauty of displayed items.
Some customers even use it creatively as a lampshade, attaching washi paper to make the most of its Mutsume-ami pattern.
This Nemagari bamboo craft carries the rustic charm of nature, and its quiet, earthy character will surely serve you well in your daily outdoor work.
Please note: This item ships from Japan. As the buyer, you are responsible for any import duties, customs fees, or local taxes that may be charged in your country. These costs are not included in the item price or shipping cost. Please check with your local customs authority if you are unsure about any potential charges before placing your order.
The Nemagari bamboo craft of the Oguni area in Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture, varied from one hamlet to another. Some specialized in making sieves, while others focused on baskets.
The Nemagari bamboo harvested around Lake Oguni, where fields of Nikkōkisuge grow in abundance, is a type of dwarf bamboo that grows in cold, snowy mountains at high altitudes, and its diameter is about 0.20 to 0.31 inches.
Since the early Edo period, people have crafted this Nemagari bamboo using only a hatchet, making daily tools such as sieves and baskets for everyday life.
Bamboo work in this region also served as an important source of income during winter, when farming could not be done.
This is a large basket called Momidōshi. Since it is now rarely used for its original purpose, we propose it as a “Vegetable Drying Basket.” It comes in two sizes: medium and large.
Nemagari bamboo craft from Oguni is characterized by its simplicity, ruggedness, and strength. Artisans do not make the strips too uniform in width; they often use thicker strips or even half-split pieces of Nemagari bamboo as they are.
Rather than shaping the basket freely according to their preference, they make use of the natural flexibility and strength of Nemagari bamboo, and then carefully adjust the shape by hand. Though the weave may not be perfectly even, the basket’s firm and solid structure is a defining feature.
Both sizes are made in nearly the same way.
The entire basket is based on the Mutsume-ami pattern, a weave of hexagonal openings.Because of its large size, a thick strip of bamboo runs horizontally around the middle section.For the same reason, reinforcing bamboo strips sometimes run vertically along the sides.The part that makes this basket especially sturdy—and also the most time-consuming to craft—is the rim.This technique is called Sendan-maki, a method of wrapping the rim as tightly as possible without gaps. The rim is also wrapped with the outer skin of young Nemagari bamboo, which shows the flexibility of the material.Depending on the materials and the artisan’s process, some baskets may feature a rim wrapped through each opening instead of the Sendan-maki style.These variations have long been part of the region’s production style, and the strength of the basket remains fully sufficient.The bottom shows a series of countless beautiful hexagons.In its original use, stalks of rice with ears were rubbed or shaken here, so that only the grains would fall through the wide openings.On the lower half of the sides, an extra horizontal strip is added through the center of each hexagon, a technique known as Metsubushi. This helps prevent grains from scattering out sideways, showing that this basket was designed for practical use.Reinforcing strips also run through the base, and depending on the materials and artisan, two or three reinforcing pieces may be used. Please note that the arrangement may differ from the photos.You may also notice small cracks or splits in some bamboo strips, but these are not defects and do not affect daily use.
We will now introduce each size.
This is the medium size.Although it is called “medium,” it measures about 19.69″ in diameter, large enough for household use.This is the large size.It has a diameter of about 23.62″—perfect for farm work or drying plenty of vegetables.
Since Nemagari bamboo work from Oguni makes use of the natural bends of the material, a variation of about 1.2″ to 2.0″ in shape or size is common. We recommend allowing a little extra room when considering the dimensions.
It can of course be used as a Momidōshi basket in its original way, but because it has a wide, flat base, it is also ideal for drying vegetables or mountain greens.
With its moderate depth, it is also useful for carrying harvested produce. In shops, the authentic texture of this bamboo craft will also highlight the beauty of displayed items.
Some customers even use it creatively as a lampshade, attaching washi paper to make the most of its Mutsume-ami pattern.
This Nemagari bamboo craft carries the rustic charm of nature, and its quiet, earthy character will surely serve you well in your daily outdoor work.
Please note: This item ships from Japan. As the buyer, you are responsible for any import duties, customs fees, or local taxes that may be charged in your country. These costs are not included in the item price or shipping cost. Please check with your local customs authority if you are unsure about any potential charges before placing your order.
