Kyoto Bamboo Craft

Refined bamboo crafts from Kyoto for tea ceremony and interior decoration.

Kyoto bamboo craft (Kyoto take-kogei) encompasses a refined tradition of bamboo basketry and bamboo art centered in Kyoto, drawing on centuries of connection to tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and Zen Buddhism. Artisans split and weave madake and hachiku bamboo into exquisite flower baskets, tea utensils, and sculptural works using techniques that include yotsume-ami (four-eye weave) and ajiro-ami (twill weave). Several Kyoto bamboo artists have been designated Living National Treasures for their mastery of this craft.