Production Area
Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture
Historical Details and Geographic Characteristics
Katsuyama bamboo crafts are practical and use madake bamboo, and are believed to have originated in the Tsukida district of Maniwa City, where farmers began making baskets and colanders called soke for both work and daily life in the late Edo period. Bamboo crafts became the main livelihood in the area, and the craftsmen were known for their craftsmanship as they made the most of the natural beauty of green bamboo — they did not peel, bleach, or otherwise process it.
Many craftsmen continued to make bamboo crafts after the Meiji period, but the number of craftsmen decreased over time. In 1959, the Katsuyama Bamboo Craft Cooperative Association was formed to revitalize the industry, and in addition to the traditional practical products, Katsuyama began to produce souvenirs and flower vases, leading to the emergence of a new demand for its products. In 1979, Katsuyama bamboo crafts were designated as a Traditional Craft Product, and Katsuyama bamboo crafts became nationally known.
The Katsuyama Bamboo Craft Cooperative Association was dissolved in 1997 due to aging craftsmen and a lack of successors, but creative activities to carry on the Katsuyama bamboo craft tradition continue to this day.
