Claro Walnut and Cherry Wood Table "Yatsuhashi II"

About the Artwork

The word "kagu" meaning furniture in English, was a broad term referring to equipment used inside the house. During the Meiji period, as the Western lifestyle started to become the global standard, the equipment that we didn't have until then, furniture, became necessary in our lives, and the word kagu was used as the translation of furniture.
The three main shelves and cabinets, such as the zushidana (cabinet with double doors), that were used by the nobility and samurai before Western style furniture came into our lives are like furniture, but we don't call these items kagu. This is because these were not used as equipment, but they were more like a symbol of the owner's status. For example, the furnishing goods of the feudal lords during the Edo period and articles presented to the Imperial Court during the Meiji period were mainly gorgeous lacquerware.
However, when the capitalists who promoted modernization during the Meiji period needed furniture, they felt uncomfortable using lacquered furniture with glamorous makie and looked for practical, simple, and sturdy furniture. As a result, they used woodcraft furniture. In fact, in my grandfather's days, Eiichi Shibusawa and many other prominent business leaders were among his customers. Furniture, especially display shelves, were not only practical, but were an alternative to the tokonoma (alcove in a Traditional Japanese room), and were viewed as a symbolic and important furniture of the times. As woodwork artists started to make furniture as crafts, modern and artistic woodwork artists emerged.
Furniture made by woodwork artists is a form of craftwork. Not only does it have to be practical, but artistic elements such as high-level techniques, carefully selected material, superior designs etc. are required.
Many artists these days make chairs. There are many high quality chairs, but the tables to go with the chairs are uncreative and not very interesting.
I used beautiful claro walnut wood to make this table which I named "Yatsuhashi". I bookmatched the top board of the table which is almost a square. 8 people can be seated. I used high-quality Japanese cherry wood called honzakura (genuine Japanese cherry wood) for the legs. The contrast of the bright tone of the cherry wood and the unique and deep color of claro walnut is beautiful. Claro walnut wood was developed in the United States approximately 200 years ago as a result of grafting European walnuts onto the local walnuts to improve the quality of walnuts for eating. As it is an artificial precious wood, the amount of lumber is small, and it is almost impossible to obtain now. When I was in my 30s, I found this distinctive short and thick log at a lumber dealer in Shinkiba, Tokyo. I made many things using this wood, but this is the last of it.
As the top board on the legs look like a bridge over water, I named this piece after a bridge. Although it is quite big, it can be disassembled, so it can be easily transported. Not only can it be used as a dining table, but it can also be used in an office. An office full of steel products would be dull and somewhat lonely.
One of my customers that purchased a same kind of table in the past told me that he feels like saying 'hello" to the table whenever he walks into the room in the morning. As a wood artist making furniture, there is no greater compliment than this.

*Chair sold out

Description

• Category
  Wood and Bamboo
• Materials
  Walnut / Cherry wood
• Dimensions
  H 72.0 x W 160.0 x D 135.0 cm
• Rarity
  Unique