The Functional Beauty of Kabazaiku (樺細工)
Matcha Nōto (抹茶ノート) is Ooika's monthly newsletter. Join here free to learn more behind-the-scenes about high-grade Matcha. This edition was sent out December, 2022.
Kabazaiku (樺細工)
There are a few ways to store tea, but few can match the beauty and usefulness of Kabazaiku (樺細工), or literally Birtch Craftsmanship.
The name is a bit confusing as Kabazaiku does not use Birth. Instead, the bark of Cherry trees is used. This art form is only found in the small village of Kakunodate (角館) in the Icy northern prefecture of Akita (秋田県.)
This village was home to 80 elite Samurai families, who participated in Kabazaiku (樺細工) as a way to foster their martial and creative spirit.
Unmatched Functionality
The bark from the cherry tree is hand polished using what looks like a butcher knife made of iron and formed into things such as tea canisters. The caddies have vivid and striking grain structures, but what makes them so unique is their functionality in storing tea.
Tea Storage
Storing tea requires a dark, air-tight environment with controlled humidity. The Kabaiku (樺細工) caddies accomplish this better than any other tea storage tool I’ve come across so far.
There are 3 reasons for this:
The Caddy includes an air-tight internal lid and an air-tight external lid.
The Caddy is made from one piece of bark, which ensures an air-tight fight.
Kabazaiku (樺細工) material naturally controls humidity, as it absorbs excess moisture.
Coming Soon to Ooika?
Over the past few days, Marc from Ooika has been in Kakunodate (角館), meeting many of the Kabazaiku (樺細工) producers.
We are looking forward to providing Ooika’s customers with a selection of authentic Kabazaiku (樺細工) Tea Caddies and Matcha Natsume in the upcoming 2023 of varying sizes, designs/technique, and price-point.
Follow Ooika in Japan
Would you like to see more behind-the-scene Reels, Stories, and Photos from Ooika? Come meet the craftspeople, and Tea Farmers in Japan by following our (very active) Instagram here.
Thank you for your continued support,
Ooika
P.S. The Kabazaiku craftspeople told me that the wooden shavings from polishing the bark were traditionally drunk as tea - good for your spirit and health. Perhaps Ooika will experiment with this in the future as a limited product…
