Samurai Japan traditional crafts from Japan

Yasaburo Tanimura

In the year of 1975, Mr. Yasaburo Tanimura was pointed as a Japanese traditional craftsman by the Japanese government.

By using Japanese bamboo, his ancestors has been making CHASEN (Tea Whisks) for Japanese tea ceremonies at Takayama, Nara prefecture in central part of Honshu Japan from Muromachi period (1333-1568) for almost 500 years until now.

In Japanese old feudalistic proverb, there’s a word "Isshi-souden" which means a guy who was chosen by his father as the only son to be taught secrets, skills and methods of art.
This unprecedented tradition has been forced to his families to keep the strict tradition for long time in Japan. Thereafter, the production method was kept a guarded secret by the lord of the castle and his family, and was carefully handed down from generation to generation.

CHASEN (Tea Whisk) is a one of tool for a tea ceremony but Mr. Tanimura put utmost care into making the tea whisk individually made by hand to the people who are able to understand it value of products more than its usage as for tea whisks.

Takayama in Kyoto has a long history for tea tools and with SADOU culture for long time, and now the only place in Japan where tea whisks are being made.
Mr. Tanimura was born in Takayama and grows up in Takayama. He hopes that everyone in the world will be able to know about SADOU which is the main traditional culture in Japan. The culture needs a continuation even now and be supported by many people’ power. He believes that the mission in his life is to hand down knowledge and skills to the next generation and teaching the history of TAKAYAMA CHASEN to the posterity which are built up by ancestors.

Career

Third in the line of proprietors generation : YASABURO TANIMURA ( YOSHIHIKO in real name)

Born: 22nd August 1955

Studied under his father YASABURO TANIMURA as second in the line of proprietors
generation and decided CHASENSHI as his profession.

Member of TAKAYAMA CHASEN MANUFACTURE Cooperative association in NARA prefecture

1987: Held his exhibition at Tokyu Department store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo
1998: Approved as a Japanese traditional craftsman by the Japanese government
2001: Displayed in Japanese Traditional Craftsman Exhibition at Takashimaya Department store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo
Also displayed in Takashimaya Department Store in Takagawa, Tokyo, Fujisaki Department Store in Sendai, Takashimaya Department Store in Yokohama.

Since 2001, he sent his works to above exhibition in every year.

Images of his works

click here click here click here click here click here
click here click here click here click here click here

Introduction of his crafts

SUSUTAKE SHIROTAKE CHASEN NIHON-IRI with KIRIBAKO
(paulownia wood box)
IWAI CHASEN SHUITO with Paper box SHOFUKU CHASEN SHIROTAKE HYAPPON-DATE CHASEN
SHICHIKUSHIN CHASEN      
Page Top