A beautiful and functional traditional container, Odate Mage-wappa

  • Area

    • Tohoku
    • Akita
  • Categories

    • Region
    • Japanese culture
    • Souvenirs
    • Food / Gourmet
    • Others
  • Update date

    • 2019-05-23

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The history of processed cedar bentwood container = Mage-wappa goes far back to the Nara period. In the Odate, bentwood products were manufactured by lower class samurai as their side job about 400 years ago, and earned popularity throughout Japan. Among bentwood products in various places, only the "Odate Mage-wappa" from Odate city of Akita prefecture is designated as a traditional craft of the country. A functional and beautiful container can be considered as a result of traditional technics.

"Ohitsu Sumimaru Nanasun" which makes use of the humidity control effect of natural wood

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It is a Mage-wappa ohitsu making use of beautiful grains of Akita cedar. It gets rid of extra moisture and heat moderately and makes rice fluffy and delicious. Owing to the moderate humidity control, rice can be deliciously preserved even if it gets cold. Moreover, it has a functional structure with the sloping bottom of the inside to prevent rice from getting stuck in the gap and to make it easy to wash.

"Hango lunch box" with a beautiful gentle curve

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A lunch box which is easy to hold and carry, with the image of a mess kit for cooking rice. A gentle curve is a unique characteristic of Mage-wappa.

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https://www.tabido.jp/en-us/article/1341/