Company Name
YOZAN CO., LTD
Type of industry
Manufacturing, sales of folkcraft articles
Main products
Crimson glory vine basket & bag SASANO ittobori woodcarving
Post code
992-1445
Company address
5742-1 Sasano-honmachi Yonezawa Yamagata Japan
Representative
Kentaro TODA
Person in charge
Kentaro TODA
T E L
+81-(0)238-38-3200
F A X
+81-(0238-38-3844
Main selling channels
http://you-zan.jp In-house store, Department stores
Available language
JAPANESE
Sasano ittobori woodcarving is a craft traditionally used to produce toys. It has been practiced for over a dozen centuries, mainly by the farming population of Sasano district, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture. Many innovations and improvements have been made to the artform throughout its long history. Wood from the koshiabura tree (Eleuthero coccus calophyllolides) is the preferred material, which is carved with a large knife referred to as a sarukiri. The carved product is painted with rich colors. Because it has mainly been an off-season occupation for farmers, few people if any throughout the history of Sasano ittobori have been known to make a living solely out of it. Kanpu Toda, however, who is a sixth-generation ittobori carver, quit his family farming operation and opened a studio dedicated to the production and sale of Sasano ittobori products with the aim of making this unique artform known to more people. The studio, currently run by Kanpu and seventh-generation successor Kentaro Toda, has also been producing woven grapevine products for about 25 years.
Sasano ittobori carving has a long history, and we produce a range of products in hope of making this artform known to greater numbers of people. Our basic policy is to avoid making the woodcarvings overly detailed, which we feel takes away from the intrinsic charm of Sasano ittobori. When designing new products, we make many attempts until we reach the right balance of detail and simplicity.
Brand name
YOZAN
Product name
SASANO ITTOBORI OTAKA-POPPO (NO.4)
Generic name
Woodcarving toy
Materials
Koshiabura tree
Person in Charge
Kanfu TODA , Kentaro TODA
Production area
Yonezawa Yamagata Japan
Size
H abt.12cm
Weight
Domestic retail price
JPY800 (excluding tax)
The hawk, one of most popular Sasano ittobori motifs, has traditionally been a symbol of good luck, bringing wealth and business success. There are also theories that the ittobori hawk was first commissioned by the ninth lord of Yonezawa domain Uesugi Yozan, whose name includes the Japanese character for “hawk.”
Brand name
YOZAN
Product name
SASANO ITTOBORI OTAKA-POPPO (NO.6)
Generic name
Woodcarving toy
Materials
Koshiabura tree
Person in Charge
Kanfu TODA , Kentaro TODA
Production area
Yonezawa Yamagata Japan
Size
H abt.18cm
Weight
Domestic retail price
JPY1,100 (excluding tax)
The hawk, one of most popular Sasano ittobori motifs, has traditionally been a symbol of good luck, bringing wealth and business success. There are also theories that the ittobori hawk was first commissioned by the ninth lord of Yonezawa domain Uesugi Yozan, whose name includes the Japanese character for “hawk.”
Brand name
YOZAN
Product name
SASANO ITTOBORI OTAKA-POPPO (NO.8)
Generic name
Woodcarving toy
Materials
Koshiabura tree
Person in Charge
Kanfu TODA , Kentaro TODA
Production area
Yonezawa Yamagata Japan
Size
H abt.24cm
Weight
Domestic retail price
JPY1,800 (excluding tax)
The hawk, one of most popular Sasano ittobori motifs, has traditionally been a symbol of good luck, bringing wealth and business success. There are also theories that the ittobori hawk was first commissioned by the ninth lord of Yonezawa domain Uesugi Yozan, whose name includes the Japanese character for “hawk.”
Brand name
YOZAN
Product name
SASANO ITTOBORI OTAKA-POPPO (NO.10)
Generic name
Woodcarving toy
Materials
Koshiabura tree
Person in Charge
Kanfu TODA , Kentaro TODA
Production area
Yonezawa Yamagata Japan
Size
H abt.30cm
Weight
Domestic retail price
JPY2,900 (excluding tax)
The hawk, one of most popular Sasano ittobori motifs, has traditionally been a symbol of good luck, bringing wealth and business success. There are also theories that the ittobori hawk was first commissioned by the ninth lord of Yonezawa domain Uesugi Yozan, whose name includes the Japanese character for “hawk.”
Brand name
YOZAN
Product name
SASANO ITTOBORI ONAGADORI (NO.4)
Generic name
Woodcarving toy
Materials
Koshiabura tree
Person in Charge
Kanfu TODA , Kentaro TODA
Production area
Yonezawa Yamagata Japan
Size
H abt.12cm
Weight
Domestic retail price
JPY1,000 (excluding tax)
The detailed shape of the Sasano ittobori onagadori (long-tailed chicken) carving can only be achieved with koshiabura wood. In addition to the usual sarukiri knife, a knife known as a sen is also used to finish the animal's characteristic tail.
Brand name
YOZAN
Product name
SASANO ITTOBORI ONAGADORI (NO.5)
Generic name
Woodcarving toy
Materials
Koshiabura tree
Person in Charge
Kanfu TODA , Kentaro TODA
Production area
Yonezawa Yamagata Japan
Size
H abt.15cm
Weight
Domestic retail price
JPY1,200 (excluding tax)
The detailed shape of the Sasano ittobori onagadori (long-tailed chicken) carving can only be achieved with koshiabura wood. In addition to the usual sarukiri knife, a knife known as a sen is also used to finish the animal's characteristic tail.
Brand name
YOZAN
Product name
SASANO ITTOBORI ONAGADORI (NO.6)
Generic name
Woodcarving toy
Materials
Koshiabura tree
Person in Charge
Kanfu TODA , Kentaro TODA
Production area
Yonezawa Yamagata Japan
Size
H abt.18cm
Weight
Domestic retail price
JPY1,400 (excluding tax)
The detailed shape of the Sasano ittobori onagadori (long-tailed chicken) carving can only be achieved with koshiabura wood. In addition to the usual sarukiri knife, a knife known as a sen is also used to finish the animal's characteristic tail.
Brand name
YOZAN
Product name
SASANO ITTOBORI HANADORI (NO.3)
Generic name
Woodcarving toy
Materials
Koshiabura tree
Person in Charge
Kanfu TODA , Kentaro TODA
Production area
Yonezawa Yamagata Japan
Size
Φ abt.9cm
Weight
Domestic retail price
JPY1,300 (excluding tax)
This woodcarving represents a nesting chicken. It combines sasano-bana—artificial flowers carved from wood, often thought to be the origin of Sasano ittobori—with the chicken motif, a good luck symbol of waking early and of wealth.
Brand name
YOZAN
Product name
SASANO ITTOBORI HANADORI (NO.4)
Generic name
Woodcarving toy
Materials
Koshiabura tree
Person in Charge
Kanfu TODA , Kentaro TODA
Production area
Yonezawa Yamagata Japan
Size
Φ abt.12cm
Weight
Domestic retail price
JPY1,500 (excluding tax)
This woodcarving represents a nesting chicken. It combines sasano-bana—artificial flowers carved from wood, often thought to be the origin of Sasano ittobori—with the chicken motif, a good luck symbol of waking early and of wealth.
SASANO ITTOBORI OTAKA-POPPO (NO.4)
SASANO ITTOBORI OTAKA-POPPO (NO.6)
SASANO ITTOBORI OTAKA-POPPO (NO.8)
SASANO ITTOBORI OTAKA-POPPO (NO.10)
SASANO ITTOBORI ONAGADORI (NO.4)
SASANO ITTOBORI ONAGADORI (NO.5)
SASANO ITTOBORI ONAGADORI (NO.6)
SASANO ITTOBORI HANADORI (NO.3)
SASANO ITTOBORI HANADORI (NO.4)
