The History
Yosegi-Zaiku was developed in Hatajuku, Hakone, which was an inn in the late Edo period (1603-1867). This inn was on the famed Tokaido Road. It is said to have started when ISHIKAWA Nihei, a resident of Hatajuku, focused on the characteristics of the mountains of Hakone, where there were many different types of trees, and made trays and boxes from a variety of wood ; different colors and grains.
Warring states period(1467-1603)
| 1556 | There was a production of Hiki-mono in Hatajuku, Hakone. |
|---|
Edo period(1603-1868)
| 1791 | Publication of "Tokaido Meisho Zukai". Hakone-Zaiku was introduced as a specialty of Yumoto-Chaya. |
|---|---|
| 1820 | Fissel, a Dutch scholar of Japan, saw and purchased Yosegi-Zaiku at
Hakone inn and Yumoto. *The first appearance of Yosegi-Zaiku in Hakone. |
| 1845-48 | It is said that ISHIKAWA Nihei in Hatajuku come up with the skills and techniques of Yosegi-Zaiku. |
| 1854 | The port of Shimoda opened. MYOGAYA Hataemon in Hatajuku went to Shimoda to sell Hakone-Zaiku. |
| 1859 | MYOGAYA Hataemon, KANAZASHI Rokuzaemon, and others from Hatajuku opened stores in Yokohama. |
Meiji period(1868-1912)
| 1877 | The first National Industrial Exhibition was held. MATSUI Yasubei in Ohiradai exhibited lacquerware. |
|---|---|
| 1892 | SHIRAKAWA Senseki in Yumoto-Chaya created the current technique of wood inlays. |
| 1894 | OKAWA Ryujiro in Yumoto invented a Himitsubako, secret box. |
| 1897 | Around this time, YAMANAKA Tsunetaro in Odawara invented Kumiki-Zaiku. |
| 1909 | The Hakone Products Trade Association was organized. |
Taisho period(1912-1926)
| 1912 | Production of coaster sets and white powder containers for export was flourished. |
|---|---|
| 1919 | Zuku-Bari pen boxes became popular. |
| 1914 | Exports increased due to the Great War Economy. |
| 1923 | The many factories of Hakone-Zaiku got damaged by the Great Kanto Earthquake. |
Showa period(1926-1989)
| 1943 | The Hakone Bussan Woodwork Products Trade Association (Formerly the Hakone
Bussan Trade Association) was dissolved. At that time, the Hakone-Zaiku factories replaced their production with munitions. |
|---|---|
| 1950 |
Kanagawa Prefecture Craft Exhibition was held. Hakone-Zaiku won many prizes. |
| 1951 | The Federation of Hakone Product Cooperatives is formed. |
| 1955 | Hakone Products General Exhibition was held. (This is the first post-war
exhibition of only Hakone products.) Due to the Japanese high economic growth, exports increased. |
| 1984 | "Hakone-Yosegi-Zaiku" is designated as a traditional craft by the International Trade and Industry of Ministry. |