bamboo cutlery

Kai Nobuo started his career as a bamboo cutlery craftsman when he took over the family business after his father’s retirement. Kai had never planned to continue the family business, and his father had never expected him to do so. However, many people commented with much regret that there was no one to inherit his father’s skills. “My father was reluctant to let me become a craftsman as he knew that this business would not bring in a lot of money. But I felt happy to see many people including his old customers being pleased by my decision.” Since then, Kai has been producing bamboo cutlery for 25 years.

He only uses Moso bamboo that is grown in Beppu, a neighbouring town near to where he lives. Bamboo is boiled to have its oil extracted and then left in the sun for drying. When half dried, the bamboo is cut into the rough shape of each cutlery. Next, the bamboo shapes are again left in the sun to continue with the drying for another week. The skin of the bamboo is then removed by 0.1mm using a knife in order to make the surface smooth and shiny while keeping the original texture of the bamboo. After being shaped and shaved, the cutleries are then polished with sandpaper before the finish coatings are applied. All the paint which Kai uses to coat the bamboo cutlery meet the standards of Japan’s Food Sanitation Law. The cutlery is coated by three types of urethane paint which are made by a Japanese company. These coatings enhance the durability of the cutlery making them not only easy to maintain but also last a long time.