Takayama Part 2 - Ichii Ittobori Carvings

Another of the amazing craft offerings for the visitor to Takayama are the Ichii Ittobori carvings. These are wood carvings and are found throughout Takayama.


My collection of Ichii Ittobori carvings

I first saw these wood carvings at Hido no Sato (in Takayama) where there was a small building with a master craftsman carving his creations. The first carving I purchased was of Hotei. Hotei is one of Japan's Seven Lucky Gods who carries a sack which never empties. He is the God of happiness and contentment and is the guardian of children. Who better than to start off my collection! The detail on Hotei is amazing. I still examine this carving running my fingers over the grooves marvelling at how talented the craftsman was.

My Hotei wood carving

When you purchase an Ichii Ittobori carving, you receive a description and history which goes as follows:

"The yew tree is symbolic of the Hida area's abundant wood resources. The evergreen yew has historically been one of this region's most precious gifts from nature.
About 800 years ago, when a new emperor was enthroned, he was presented with a comb made from the Hida region's yew tree wood.
Because of the wood's natural beauty, it was considered to be a more excellent material than the other woods in use at the time. So, they named the yew tree 'ichii' after a class of noblemen in the aristocracy.
The Hida wood carving has been developed and used in the construction of temples and in the wood sculptures found on festival floats by 'Hida no Takumi' (skillful carpenters), who once were involved in construction in Kyoto.
The rich colour and natural sheen of the wood, together with the decisiveness of the cutting, give this craft great distinction.
The yew trees used in ichii ittobori are about 400 to 500 years old".

On my first trip to Takayama I saw an Ichii Ittobori carving of a frog clinging to a bamboo. I didn't purchase it and I regretted it as soon as I got home. When I went back to Takayama on my second trip, I saw the very same carving. I had to get it and add it to my Ichii Ittobori collection. I love looking at the frog's fingers and what I love most is that the frog and bamboo are from the same piece of wood. The frog is not stuck on which shows the great skill of the craftsman.

The frog on the bamboo pole

Detail of the frog's fingers

I purchased another carving on my second trip that when I saw it, i just had to have it. It is a mouse on a money bag. The detail on the mouse's fur and on the bag itself are just outstanding.

The mouse on the money bag

Detail of the mouse sitting on the opening of the bag




When you look at the above pictures, don't forget that the carving is done as a whole. The mouse is not added, it is part of the original block of wood. If you look carefully, the tip of the mouse's tail is connected to the bag which makes the carving even more complex. The detail around the main part of the bag could only be described as extraordinary. The different textures of this carving make it so fascinating. The smooth top of the bag opening, the tiny individual grooves to make the mouse's fur, the detail of the bag itself and the string tying the bag shut are all different and would require a master at the top of his game. I just love this carving.

These Ichii Ittobori carvings are found in shops throughout Takayama. I would advise browsing through a few of them as each one can differ in the type of carvings they make/sell. I got the frog and the mouse on the bag from a shop run by a man by the name of Suzuki and is located next door to the Kokubunji Temple on Kokubunji Street only a short stroll from the train station

Have you visited Takayama and purchased an Ichii Ittobori wood carving?

What do you think of my collection?

Would you purchase one of these carvings?

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