会社概要（TAKETORA The company explanation）

Established in 1894 as a bamboo store, "TAKETORA" Yamagishi Bamboo Co.

Ltd. is a manufacturer and wholesaler of bamboo materials and bamboo products since its establishment in 1894. Japan's only Tiger bamboo is attracting attention not only in Japan but also from overseas. From the quiet and tranquil village of Tiger bamboo, where Tiger bamboo grows, we offer you a "life with Tiger bamboo" as only a long-established bamboo store and bamboo specialty store can.

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Tiger Bamboo Grove

Tiger Bamboo Grove in Awa, Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture

Tiger bamboo grove is located in Awa, Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture. From the hillside of Yakesaka, where a bamboo forest of Tiger bamboo grows, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Tiger Bamboo Grove and even the Yokonami Peninsula in the distance across Susaki Bay. Whenever I come here, I always feel refreshed and feel the happiness of having been born here.

The work of purchasing tiger bamboo cut down from November to January takes until March or April. During the peak season, the village of tiger bamboo continues to sort the bamboos and load a year's worth of materials onto the earthen floor. Visitors from outside the prefecture roll their eyes when they see the large quantity of bamboo on a tour of the factory, a sight that may come as a bit of a surprise not only to visitors from the city but also to non-locals.

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Japan's only Tiger Bamboo

Commitment to domestic production and pesticide-free

Tiger bamboo grown without pesticides

Tiger bamboo, which grows only in a narrow valley with a frontage of only 1.5 km, is a pesticide-free bamboo material that has not been treated with any chemicals or chemical fertilizers from the time it grows as a bamboo shoot to the time it is cut down. In order to provide you with safe and secure bamboo products that are used in your daily life, we insist on domestic, made in Japan, and pesticide-free bamboo products.

Furthermore, with the exception of a few products, all bamboo crafts handled by Taketora are manufactured in Japan using domestic bamboo materials. We feel it is our mission to preserve and pass on the traditional techniques that have been nurtured for a long time, and we would like to deliver the unique Japanese sensibility of bamboo crafts born from the deep relationship between the Japanese people and bamboo as much as possible.

Bamboo is being forgotten.

The environment surrounding bamboo in Japan has changed dramatically over the past few decades. Traditional handicrafts have been disappearing due to the distribution of new materials and inexpensive foreign products, domestic bamboo is no longer used, and bamboo, which used to be useful in daily life, is rapidly being forgotten, as represented by the problems of the degradation of satoyama and neglected bamboo forests. However, Japanese people and bamboo are deeply connected and resonate with each other, and one day we will look back and remember the seemingly forgotten bamboo. This is the conviction of the TAKETORA.

MADE IN JAPAN Challenge

"Is this bamboo craft made in Japan?"

It is not uncommon for us to receive inquiries about the origin and production of our products. It is not uncommon for us to receive inquiries about the origin and production of our products. We are not uncommon for us to receive inquiries about the origin and production of our products. Whenever we meet a customer who says so, we cannot help but feel the weight of our responsibility as a long-established bamboo company. The challenge of "MADE IN JAPAN" has only just begun.

Thoughts of the TAKETORA's 4th President

Born to be a Bamboo shop

There have been bamboos since I was a small child. The beach in front of the current factory was lined with long, short, and split bamboos, and many craftsmen were carrying them from one place to another. When I entered the factory, I was happy to be surrounded by the indescribably sweet aroma of bamboo and my family.

Ever since the founder, Usaburo 1st, founded the company in 1894, I have been selling bamboo products. That is why I am a bamboo shop owner by nature. When I grow up, I will carry bamboo... I have always thought of it as my mission, even though it is really vague.

Walking with TAKETORA Factory Manager

The younger brother of the TAKETORA 4th is the factory manager. We owe everything to his leadership as the factory manager. I am thankful for the happiness that the two of us, who played while watching our grandfather and father working with bamboos, can face the tiger bamboos in the same way.

Media Coverage

More than 500 media appearances

Various media such as magazines, newspapers, TV, radio, and the web have featured our products and services. Not only about bamboo and bamboo products, but also about the activities of TAKETORA.

Award History

Thank you for your support!

We have received awards in a wide variety of fields, including the website and our efforts at TAKETORA. In May 2001, I started to send out information on the Internet in earnest in order to let as many people as possible know about the bamboo tiger. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who have supported us throughout the years for the numerous awards that we have received. We are very grateful for the encouragement of our craftsmen who work in the sweat of their brow and our staff who work hard in the backyard taking orders, packing, and sending out information in order to deliver packages to you.

TAKETORA (Factory and Store)

Bamboo Factory

A large quantity of bamboo, including tiger bamboo, is displayed in the bamboo factory. The sounds of bamboo craftsmen at work and the clatter of their tools echo through the factory, where new bamboo crafts are being created today.

TAKETORA store overflowing with smiles

The actual store features numerous bamboo products such as bamboo lunch boxes, zori (Japanese sandals), geta (Japanese clogs), and flower baskets. We also offer bamboo crafts and outlet products that can only be found here. The store has a nostalgic feel of the old days, and is surrounded by natural materials, creating a relaxing space. The staff of TAKETORA, who are always smiling, are waiting for you to visit.

• 【VIDEO】Welcome to Bamboo Factory, the headquarters of TAKETORA!
• 【VIDEO】Skilled bamboo craftsman's skills! How to make a "Tamasodegaki".

Overseas Deployment

Focusing on Overseas Activities

With the aging of bamboo craftsmen and the growing trend away from bamboo among young people, the company is also focusing on overseas activities with the hope of "gaining recognition overseas, which will encourage young Japanese people who do not use bamboo to take a fresh look at bamboo.

Participated in COTERIE in New York

COTERIE, held for three days from Monday, February 22 to Wednesday, February 24, 2016, is the largest fashion trade show in the U.S., where approximately 1,000 apparel companies from around the world gather. It is said that it is extremely difficult to participate in the exhibition, as the ratio of exhibitors is said to be 200 times higher than the average. This time, with the cooperation of Kazuyo Nakano, a bag designer living in New York, and the support of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency's "JAPAN Brand" Development Support Project, which was jointly approved by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Susaki City, our hometown, we were able to participate in the exhibition for the first time.

11th World Bamboo Congress Mexico

Delivered a keynote speech at the 11th World Bamboo Congress in Xalapa, Mexico, and was appointed World Bamboo Ambassador.

Premiere Classe in Paris

Premiere Classe, an exhibition of fashion accessories, is held at the Tuileries Park adjacent to the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. We participated for the first time in Premiere Classe, which was held over four days from March 2 (Thu.) to March 5 (Sun.), 2017, and presented the tiger bamboo bag "New Yorker", which has been further improved since the "COTERIE". We were able to showcase our new products in France, the home of fashion.

Stockholm Furnitue Fair 2015 in Sverige

We had our new bamboo furniture exhibited at the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2015. With help from Japan Creative, we developed bamboo furniture in collaboration with a German designer,Stefan.

Royal College of Art in London

Tiger Bamboo was used in the clothes that Mr. Naoya Nakayama designed for his fashion show at Royal College of Art.

OPRINS Plant N.V. in Belgium

We visited OPRINS Plant N.V. in Belgium, a company that mass-produce bamboo seedlings, for a company tour and cultural exchange.

J-COLLABO in New York

The 4th generation Taketora on Tiger Bamboo that is unique to Japan at J-COLLABO in New York City. Toratake's original bags, including "New Yorker", are part of the permanent collection of J-COLLABO. J-COLLAB is an organization that encourages artists of any age and nationality across all genres to collaborate with others and has been trying to introduce Japanese traditional art and craft.

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• Nantou county in Taiwan

  We visited Nantou county in Taiwan, a place known for bamboo production, and exchanged opinions with highly-skilled bamboo craft artisans and many people who worked in the Taiwanese bamboo industry.

10th World Bamboo Congress and World Bamboo Expo 2015 in Korea

The 4th generation Taketora participated in the 10th World Bamboo Congress and World Bamboo Expo 2015.

TAKETORA's effort

Change to preserve tradition

TAKETORA was founded in 1894, and has been moving forward for about 130 years! In order to continue to preserve the traditions that have been built up through the years and the only tiger spotted bamboo in Japan, the home of tiger bamboo, we are also continuing to take on the challenge of new initiatives.

In 2020, we delivered a live green bamboo stomping exercise with all employees on September 18, World Bamboo Day. We were troubled by the "lack of visitors to the Tiger Bamboo Village" and "lack of movement at stay homes" due to the Corona disaster, and our answer to the question of what we could do to help everyone was the live distribution of the green bamboo stomping exercises.

We are a small bamboo shop in the countryside, but we will keep on running to spread the charm of bamboo all over Japan and the world.

• 【VIDEO】TAKE Trucker: "Challenge Run Yokohama" goal achieved!
• 【VIDEO】TAKE Trucker: Bamboo cars run through the streets of Mexico where the World Bamboo Congress is being held!
• 【VIDEO】REIWA-125：Box cart race in Spain.
• 【VIDEO】World Bamboo Day：Bamboo Stomping Exercise