In Iwadeyama, Osaki City—about 50 kilometers north of Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture—it is said that basket and colander making began as a side craft for samurai families during the Edo period. Using shinodake bamboo—a flexible variety of bamboo that grows naturally in the region—they crafted baskets and household tools suited to daily use or professional needs.
At its peak, more than eighty kinds of baskets and colanders were made. However, with the passing of time, both the variety and production have greatly declined. Today, the simple, traditional baskets made entirely from shinodake bamboo—without using madake bamboo for the rims— are now crafted only by a few elderly artisans.
Baskets made from shinodake in Miyagi are known above all for being extremely light and gentle to the touch, making them ideal for everyday kitchen use.
This mekago is characterized by its regularly arranged hexagonal weave. Among such baskets, this one features a finer weave and is known as the “azuki-arai”— literally “beans washing” basket.
Here we introduce the three sizes: small, medium, and large.
Baskets like this, with open hexagonal holes, are called mekago or mezaru in Japanese.The open weave allows dirt from vegetables, clams, or other ingredients to slip easily through the gaps.The entire basket is woven using the mutsume-ami technique, a hexagonal pattern formed by interlacing thin strips. The openings of the weave measure about 0.28″ across, creating a continuous pattern of fine, delicate hexagons.The strips are uniform in width and thickness, and the hexagonal pattern is evenly aligned, resulting in a refined and beautifully balanced finish.The rim is made by wrapping shinodake around a core of the same material.The color and texture of shinodake from Miyagi differ subtly from those of bamboo crafts made in other regions.The base has no reinforcing bamboo supports, and because shinodake is a relatively soft material, pressing it lightly with your palm will cause it to flex slightly inward. This flexibility is part of the charm of shinodake—unlike harder materials, it bends gently rather than snapping, and this gives it a soft, pleasant feel in the hand.At the corners of the base, instead of the regular hexagonal pattern, the strips overlap and intersect from different directions.
Now, let us look at the sizes in order.
This is the small size.It is large enough to hold about four mandarins laid flat.This is the medium size.It can hold about eight mandarins laid flat.This is the large size.It can hold about ten mandarins laid flat.
As the name suggests, this type of basket was originally used for washing beans. Although there are many kinds and sizes of beans, the size of the weave here suits relatively larger beans among them.
Photo: small size
In the production area, there used to be other types of mekago made for washing mountain vegetables, mushrooms, and shellfish, showing how finely baskets and colanders were specialized for different household uses. These variations reveal how craftspeople once created each basket thoughtfully, so that people could live their daily lives more comfortably.
Bamboo work made from shinodake in Miyagi is known for its soft texture and fine strips, making it different from other regional bamboo crafts. These baskets are not meant for carrying heavy items, so please take care when placing water-heavy fruits or other items inside.
Photo: Large size
Ideal for daily use, they work beautifully for washing vegetables such as lettuce or cabbage, shellfish like clams or shijimi, or fruits such as strawberries and grapes.
Light and flexible, these mekago baskets let you fully appreciate the soft texture and natural feel of shinodake. After washing, we recommend hanging it on an S-shaped hook to dry.
Photo: small size
Among the traditional shinodake bamboo crafts of Miyagi, this basket stands out for its distinctive name and beautiful, refined finish. Some people use it as a fruit basket or as a stand for inverted cups, assuming it remains stationary and is not used for carrying heavy items.
Photo: Large size
Though opportunities to wash beans may be fewer today, this basket remains useful as a colander or multipurpose basket for everyday kitchen use.
Photo: small size
Please choose the size that best fits your needs.
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.
In Iwadeyama, Osaki City—about 50 kilometers north of Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture—it is said that basket and colander making began as a side craft for samurai families during the Edo period. Using shinodake bamboo—a flexible variety of bamboo that grows naturally in the region—they crafted baskets and household tools suited to daily use or professional needs.
At its peak, more than eighty kinds of baskets and colanders were made. However, with the passing of time, both the variety and production have greatly declined. Today, the simple, traditional baskets made entirely from shinodake bamboo—without using madake bamboo for the rims— are now crafted only by a few elderly artisans.
Baskets made from shinodake in Miyagi are known above all for being extremely light and gentle to the touch, making them ideal for everyday kitchen use.
This mekago is characterized by its regularly arranged hexagonal weave. Among such baskets, this one features a finer weave and is known as the “azuki-arai”— literally “beans washing” basket.
Here we introduce the three sizes: small, medium, and large.
Baskets like this, with open hexagonal holes, are called mekago or mezaru in Japanese.The open weave allows dirt from vegetables, clams, or other ingredients to slip easily through the gaps.The entire basket is woven using the mutsume-ami technique, a hexagonal pattern formed by interlacing thin strips. The openings of the weave measure about 0.28″ across, creating a continuous pattern of fine, delicate hexagons.The strips are uniform in width and thickness, and the hexagonal pattern is evenly aligned, resulting in a refined and beautifully balanced finish.The rim is made by wrapping shinodake around a core of the same material.The color and texture of shinodake from Miyagi differ subtly from those of bamboo crafts made in other regions.The base has no reinforcing bamboo supports, and because shinodake is a relatively soft material, pressing it lightly with your palm will cause it to flex slightly inward. This flexibility is part of the charm of shinodake—unlike harder materials, it bends gently rather than snapping, and this gives it a soft, pleasant feel in the hand.At the corners of the base, instead of the regular hexagonal pattern, the strips overlap and intersect from different directions.
Now, let us look at the sizes in order.
This is the small size.It is large enough to hold about four mandarins laid flat.This is the medium size.It can hold about eight mandarins laid flat.This is the large size.It can hold about ten mandarins laid flat.
As the name suggests, this type of basket was originally used for washing beans. Although there are many kinds and sizes of beans, the size of the weave here suits relatively larger beans among them.
Photo: small size
In the production area, there used to be other types of mekago made for washing mountain vegetables, mushrooms, and shellfish, showing how finely baskets and colanders were specialized for different household uses. These variations reveal how craftspeople once created each basket thoughtfully, so that people could live their daily lives more comfortably.
Bamboo work made from shinodake in Miyagi is known for its soft texture and fine strips, making it different from other regional bamboo crafts. These baskets are not meant for carrying heavy items, so please take care when placing water-heavy fruits or other items inside.
Photo: Large size
Ideal for daily use, they work beautifully for washing vegetables such as lettuce or cabbage, shellfish like clams or shijimi, or fruits such as strawberries and grapes.
Light and flexible, these mekago baskets let you fully appreciate the soft texture and natural feel of shinodake. After washing, we recommend hanging it on an S-shaped hook to dry.
Photo: small size
Among the traditional shinodake bamboo crafts of Miyagi, this basket stands out for its distinctive name and beautiful, refined finish. Some people use it as a fruit basket or as a stand for inverted cups, assuming it remains stationary and is not used for carrying heavy items.
Photo: Large size
Though opportunities to wash beans may be fewer today, this basket remains useful as a colander or multipurpose basket for everyday kitchen use.
Photo: small size
Please choose the size that best fits your needs.
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.
In Iwadeyama, Osaki City—about 50 kilometers north of Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture—it is said that basket and colander making began as a side craft for samurai families during the Edo period. Using shinodake bamboo—a flexible variety of bamboo that grows naturally in the region—they crafted baskets and household tools suited to daily use or professional needs.
At its peak, more than eighty kinds of baskets and colanders were made. However, with the passing of time, both the variety and production have greatly declined. Today, the simple, traditional baskets made entirely from shinodake bamboo—without using madake bamboo for the rims— are now crafted only by a few elderly artisans.
Baskets made from shinodake in Miyagi are known above all for being extremely light and gentle to the touch, making them ideal for everyday kitchen use.
This mekago is characterized by its regularly arranged hexagonal weave. Among such baskets, this one features a finer weave and is known as the “azuki-arai”— literally “beans washing” basket.
Here we introduce the three sizes: small, medium, and large.
Baskets like this, with open hexagonal holes, are called mekago or mezaru in Japanese.The open weave allows dirt from vegetables, clams, or other ingredients to slip easily through the gaps.The entire basket is woven using the mutsume-ami technique, a hexagonal pattern formed by interlacing thin strips. The openings of the weave measure about 0.28″ across, creating a continuous pattern of fine, delicate hexagons.The strips are uniform in width and thickness, and the hexagonal pattern is evenly aligned, resulting in a refined and beautifully balanced finish.The rim is made by wrapping shinodake around a core of the same material.The color and texture of shinodake from Miyagi differ subtly from those of bamboo crafts made in other regions.The base has no reinforcing bamboo supports, and because shinodake is a relatively soft material, pressing it lightly with your palm will cause it to flex slightly inward. This flexibility is part of the charm of shinodake—unlike harder materials, it bends gently rather than snapping, and this gives it a soft, pleasant feel in the hand.At the corners of the base, instead of the regular hexagonal pattern, the strips overlap and intersect from different directions.
Now, let us look at the sizes in order.
This is the small size.It is large enough to hold about four mandarins laid flat.This is the medium size.It can hold about eight mandarins laid flat.This is the large size.It can hold about ten mandarins laid flat.
As the name suggests, this type of basket was originally used for washing beans. Although there are many kinds and sizes of beans, the size of the weave here suits relatively larger beans among them.
Photo: small size
In the production area, there used to be other types of mekago made for washing mountain vegetables, mushrooms, and shellfish, showing how finely baskets and colanders were specialized for different household uses. These variations reveal how craftspeople once created each basket thoughtfully, so that people could live their daily lives more comfortably.
Bamboo work made from shinodake in Miyagi is known for its soft texture and fine strips, making it different from other regional bamboo crafts. These baskets are not meant for carrying heavy items, so please take care when placing water-heavy fruits or other items inside.
Photo: Large size
Ideal for daily use, they work beautifully for washing vegetables such as lettuce or cabbage, shellfish like clams or shijimi, or fruits such as strawberries and grapes.
Light and flexible, these mekago baskets let you fully appreciate the soft texture and natural feel of shinodake. After washing, we recommend hanging it on an S-shaped hook to dry.
Photo: small size
Among the traditional shinodake bamboo crafts of Miyagi, this basket stands out for its distinctive name and beautiful, refined finish. Some people use it as a fruit basket or as a stand for inverted cups, assuming it remains stationary and is not used for carrying heavy items.
Photo: Large size
Though opportunities to wash beans may be fewer today, this basket remains useful as a colander or multipurpose basket for everyday kitchen use.
Photo: small size
Please choose the size that best fits your needs.
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.
