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Traditional Japanese "Toolbox" to Die For: Keiji Ashizawa's Hirosaki Knife Box

By Rain Noe - October 25, 2011

in Object Culture | Hand Tools

Hirosaki is a city in northern Japan responsible for the bulk of that country's apple production, meaning they've got a lot of apple trees. In homage to the region, designer Keiji Ashizawa incorporated apple wood in his Hirosaki Knife Box, produced for Wallpaper's Handmade collection of objects.

The bulk of the boxes are made from Paulownia, a native Asian wood, while the dovetail-shaped connection rails are made from Hirosaki's apple trees. The individual "drawers" store forged craft knives (by local craftsman Toshihisa Yoshizawa and the Nigara Knife company) that have been made in Hirosaki for ten centuries.

Other collaborators on the project include woodwork by Takayuki Kimura of Kimura Woodwork; Urushi (lacquer finish) by Masato Kimura of Tsugaru Urushi Spirit LLC; and the beautiful photos are by Takumi Ota.

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Kyle Oldfield

12 years ago

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Well hello irony. So much wood protecting whats used to cut them down!
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- Austin Liu
  
  9 years ago
  
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  That would be true if these were axes. I don't think anyone is cutting down trees with little whittling knives.
  
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