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.
Precious Treasure~The starting point to return to~
Elderly lady Tokie greeted me cheerfully when I visited her for the first time in a while. It has been a long time since I left the field, so I rarely see Tokie-san's face. The wrinkles on her smiling face have deepened and her gray hair has grown, making her look one size smaller than before. It has been many years since I was able to take a picture of her hands, which have been working for our company for several decades.
The photo was used for a New Year's greeting card with the word "Treasure" in the upper left corner of the palm of my hand. The reason for this is that I believe that a rough and chapped hand is an irreplaceable treasure for our company. Whenever we feel lost, impatient, or lose our bearings in our work, this is the starting point to which we should always return and reflect, along with our management guidelines.
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.
TAKETORA's Store and Factory
■Address:913-1, Awa, Susaki city, Kochi pref. 785-0024, Japan
Japan's only Tiger Bamboo
Japan's only Tiger bamboo from Tosa
The "Tiger Bamboo" is classified as a light bamboo, and only in the village of tiger bamboo in Awa, Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture, does a mysterious tiger pattern appear on the surface of the culm. There is a theory that this pattern is caused by a parasitic fungus attached to the culm or by the action of the sea breeze, but this theory has not yet been scientifically clarified. We actually tried transplanting it to various areas, but for some reason the pattern never appeared.
In 1950, Japan's top botanists of the time submitted a petition to the government to protect the tiger-spotted bamboo, which was on the verge of extinction. This was the catalyst for the promulgation of today's Natural Monuments Ordinance, and the Natural Monuments Preservation Law was enacted, with the tiger-spotted bamboo being the first to be designated as such.
Miracle Bamboo" was also covered by the BBC Broadcasting Corporation of the U.K.
The photo on the left shows tiger bamboo in its natural state. When this tiger bamboo is roasted with a gas burner and wiped with the oil from the bamboo itself, the tiger pattern clearly emerges as shown in the photo on the right. Even the BBC Broadcasting Corporation of the United Kingdom visited the Tiger Bamboo Village to report on this rare bamboo, and the mysterious tiger bamboo was repeatedly described as a "miracle! Miracle!" was repeatedly uttered by the audience.
Bamboo craftsmen's passion for the tiger bamboo
The bamboo harvesting season is from fall to late January. During this period, a year's supply of tiger bamboos is cut down in batches. Bamboo craftsmen work all day long with haulers to cut and carry the long, heavy bamboos up steep mountain paths. After sorting the bamboos by size and quality, the bamboos are then cleaned of oil using gas burners, and then corrected. In order to make the most of the individuality of each bamboo, the bamboo is seared and straightened by the hands of skilled craftsmen. In this way, the bamboo is transformed into a variety of bamboo products.
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.
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Photo Spot ♪
Entering the store, somewhat! TAKETORA 4th! ...but what sits there is a life-size TAKETORA 4th-kun♪ A panel showing his face, and customers who come to the store enjoy having their picture taken with him.
- 【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.
Overseas Activities
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.
Made in Japan and produced in Japan, TAKETORA's bamboo charcoal powder is popular even overseas. It is used by chefs and patissiers in Paris, the city of gourmet food.
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.
Tiger Bamboo Automobile Project
Bamboo and the Japanese people have a long history and relationship with bamboo, and it has long been an indispensable and familiar material in daily life.
However, in recent years, the bamboo industry has been rapidly declining and shrinking due to changing lifestyles and the emergence of new materials... We want more people to know about bamboo, which is friendly to both the environment and people. We want people to take a fresh look at bamboo, which has always been close to the Japanese people. We want everyone involved in bamboo to believe in a new bamboo age.
The Tiger Bamboo Vehicle Project was started with such a straightforward aspiration, just like bamboo. Using Tiger Bamboo, which produces a beautiful tiger pattern and grows only in the Tiger Bamboo village of Awa, Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture, Japan, we have created a car based on an environmentally friendly electric car to show the flexibility, strength and potential of bamboo.
"REIWA-125" is made to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the founding of TAKETORA.
REIWA-125, Japan's only box cart made of Tiger bamboo. A box cart is a handmade vehicle powered only by gravity, without an engine. We made full use of TAKETORA's proud bending technique to bring out the beauty of both the curves and straight lines of bamboo.
In 2019, it will participate in the Spanish Box cart Race (Vitoria). He received the "Mencion especial" special appreciation award. In the same year, he was the runner-up in the RED BULL BOX CART RACE TOKYO 2019.
- 【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
Learn more about TAKETORA
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