Takayama Chasensince 1500s
Takayama Chasen
From Muromachi to Reiwa — the chasen craft,
carried on in Takayama, Nara.
Takayama chasen is said to have begun in the middle of the Muromachi period. Born alongside the way of tea, the hand-craft has been carried on, for more than five hundred years, in Takayama, in the hills of Ikoma, Nara. The Kubo family has carried on the work in this place for seven generations, facing the bamboo one whisk at a time.
Chasen-making takes root in Takayama, born alongside the developing way of tea. From this point on, the craft is carried on only here, never spreading beyond the village.
The making of chasen does not spread to other regions; instead it is handed down within the families of Takayama, kept as a closely-guarded tradition.
In the time of the fifth master, Kubo Isao, the workshop is renamed Kubo Komakichi Shoten. The hand-work continues, unchanged in spirit, one whisk at a time.
Kubo Tatehiro, the seventh-generation master, is certified as a Traditional Craftsman. Through demonstrations and media — including the Discovery Channel program Ashita e no Tobira — the craft is introduced to new audiences in Japan and beyond.
A small knife and the fingertips, one whisk at a time. Carrying on what was passed down by those who came before, the hand-work of Kubo Komakichi Shoten continues, together as a family, to this day.
Fourth master — Kubo Iichiro
Fifth master — Kubo Isao
Seventh master — Kubo Tatehiro
A future successor… perhaps? :)