Suruga Bamboo Ware Infused with a quiet Japanese spirit As we can surmise from the vestiges of bamboo ware found in the Toro relics of Shizuoka, bamboo has been used in this region from ancient times. It was from about 1840 that the local basket weaving acquired its present delicacy, and came to be known as Suruga Sensuji (a thousand splints) basket ware. This weaving with its sharp lines and gentle curves has a refined elegance that intrigues the eye. A long association with bamboo Alighting from the train at Shizuoka Station and exiting through the northern gate, one is greeted by the scene of a bamboo grove with 50 or so bamboo trunks reaching for the sky. The sight served as a reminder to me that this is an area where bamboo culture has long taken root. Japanese people all know the folktale of the bamboo cutter who finds a tiny princess, Kaguyahime, in a bamboo grove one day. Many places in Japan claim to be the homeland of this fairytale, but Fuji City in Shizuoka Prefecture lays special claim to being the place where the old man lived. The folktale begins: "Once upon a time there was an old man who made a living by getting bamboo for many uses from the mountains..." This tells us that bamboo has always been part of daily life and Suruga bamboo ware craftsmen have been particularly adept at adapting basket weaving to the needs of each new era. From wholesale ware to artworks Mr Eiichi Kuroda of the Bamboo Workshop Hanafusa has been weaving bamboo for over 50 years. He has always liked making things and made model planes and ships as a child. Both his grandfather and uncle were bamboo craftsmen. His father, a lacquer artist, died when he was 16 and the young Eiichi became apprenticed to his uncle. Eiichi went independent after six years, initially just filling orders for wholesale products. "In those days tradesmen didn't like to show off their work," he recalls, but over the years, he says, craftspeople started to study and share techniques so there are a great variety of products now. Round splints, a characteristic of Suruga bamboo ware Flexible and strong The sensuji (1000 splints) in the Japanese name for this craft -- Suruga Take Sensuji -- apparently refers to the fineness of the bamboo strips used in this work -- 1000 strips to every 90 centimeters. Suruga's other characteristic is that it uses rounded bamboo splints achieved by passing roughly split strips of bamboo through graded holes in a steel stripper. The resulting strips are then bent gently by applying heat. While the strips are soft they are also resilient and tough. These characteristics of bamboo are brought beautifully to life in the vases, insect cages and lamps that are the trademark of the Suruga craft. One of Mr Kuroda's works, "Bamboo Peak" While walking along I am told that bamboo ware used in the home has diversified along with the growing interest in interior design. Mr Kuroda explains that bamboo craftsmen such as himself have been adding wisteria vine and other materials to their basket weaving repertoire, and combining wood with some of their products. They have also been diverging from the usual cream-colored bamboo to make products in black and brown, so while the pale bamboo is especially appropriate for summer, black or dark brown bamboo has a warmer effect for the winter. "Being able to play with designs more freely these days really adds to the enjoyment of the craft," comments Mr Kuroda and he says he finds ideas wherever he looks. Old, well-used tools are what he likes to work with. Looking ahead "In the early days," says Mr Kuroda, "basket weaving was more a matter of bread and butter for me than enjoyment. My only goal was to churn out as many baskets as I could in a given time." He says he is glad those days are over and he can do what he likes now. He says it makes him proud when someone purchases one of his works from among all the other items at a show and he is constantly thinking about what he will make for the next one. Mr Kuroda also places high expectations on the up-and-coming generation of basket makers and he says that he hopes they will use their imagination and take chances while they are young, because it is only by taking the plunge that you make progress. Profile Eiichi Kuroda Born in 1931 in Shizuoka City. Has been a bamboo craftsman all his life for 50 years. The greatest joy is when the customer confirms that his work is good.