A Journey to Wakayama in Search of Black Bamboo (Part 2)
Hello. This is Tomotake Ichikawa.
In the previous journal, Hiroaki Kanasaki showed me around a black bamboo grove,
where I introduced how black bamboo grows.
Once the black bamboo has been harvested and brought to the workshop,
it is not immediately ready to become a finished product.
From here, it goes through a number of processes,
gradually being prepared until it is ready to be shipped as a product.
This time, I will introduce the various processes that the harvested black bamboo goes through
before it is ready to be shipped as a finished product.
At Kanasaki Bamboo Materials, bamboo harvested in Wakayama and Kochi is brought to the workshop,
where it is first sorted according to thickness and length.
When black bamboo is made into a product while keeping its natural round form, as shown in the photograph above,
the process can be broadly divided into the following four steps.
- Removing the branches
- Cutting to a uniform length
- Removing the buds
- Oil removal and straightening
Let’s take a closer look at each step in order.
This is the first step: removing the branches.
As bamboo grows, branches emerge from the main stem.
These branches are cut away using a sickle.
Hiroaki worked remarkably quickly with the sickle, and the branches disappeared from each bamboo stem in no time. A clear, rhythmic sound rang through the workshop with each strike. The branches that had been removed were not wasted either. They were carefully gathered to be used for other products. 
Next is the second step: cutting the bamboo to a uniform length.
At Kanasaki Bamboo Materials, whole round black bamboo is generally prepared as finished products in lengths of 2 m (approx. 6.6 ft), 3 m (approx. 9.8 ft), and 4 m (approx. 13.1 ft).
As they work, they carefully assess the thickness and length of each bamboo stem, as well as the degree of curvature, keeping the later straightening process in mind. They then cut each piece quickly and precisely. 
A well-used measuring stand with a distinctive patina, made specifically for checking the length of the bamboo. 
Because this part of the process involves power tools, Hiroaki works with great concentration, checking each piece carefully as he cuts the black bamboo. 
Once the branches have been removed and the black bamboo has been cut to a uniform length, the next step is “3. Removing the buds.” 
After the branches are cut away with a sickle, sharp stubs remain at their bases, as shown in the photograph. “Removing the buds” is the process of carefully trimming away each of these remaining pieces one by one. 
This step is carried out using a machine specially designed for removing the buds. 
Each bamboo stem has many nodes, and the buds are removed one by one by carefully pressing each node against the machine. It is a patient, painstaking process.
This is the black bamboo after the buds have been removed.
Looking at the photograph, however,
the surface of the bamboo appears more whitish than black.
Hachiku bamboo and related varieties, including black bamboo,
naturally develop a wax-like substance on their surface as they grow,
giving them a pale, powdery appearance.
The final step is “4. Oil removal and straightening.”
This is an important process in preparing the black bamboo as a finished product.
An essential tool for the oil-removal and straightening process is this burner. Fueled by heavy oil, it produces a high-temperature flame of around 800–1,000°C (1,472–1,832°F), which is used to heat the bamboo. As the bamboo is heated, oils and waxy substances rise to the surface. These are carefully wiped away together with any dirt. Heating also makes the bamboo more flexible, so this property is used at the same time to straighten any bends and adjust its shape. 
At first glance, bamboo may appear perfectly straight, but in fact it grows with slight changes in direction at each node. To correct these bends, they use a notched wooden tool called a “manriki.” At Kanasaki Bamboo Materials, this process of straightening the bamboo is known as “noshi.” 
There were many different sizes of “manriki,” each suited to bamboo of a different thickness. 
As shown here, the bamboo is placed where the burner’s flame is concentrated into a narrow opening and is heated rapidly at a very high temperature. 
Holding a cloth in his right hand, Hiroaki heats the bamboo over the burner while wiping away the oils that rise to the surface. 
After working on just a few pieces of bamboo, the cloth quickly turns black with oil and dirt. 
At just the right moment, Hiroaki quickly moves the bamboo from the burner to the adjacent workbench and uses a “manriki” to straighten out its bends. 
Bamboo is naturally very hard, but once heated, it becomes flexible enough to bend to an angle like the one shown in the photograph. By placing the bamboo into the notch of the “manriki” and using leverage, Hiroaki quickly adjusts and straightens the bends. 
Working in front of the high-temperature burner, Hiroaki continues the process while carefully checking the condition of each piece of bamboo. He told me that the work becomes especially demanding in summer, when the heat can be intense. 
After the oil-removal and straightening process, the black bamboo develops a beautiful natural sheen, as shown in the photograph. The workshop was also filled with a faintly sweet, toasted aroma rising from the heated black bamboo.
Even after careful straightening, bamboo is a natural material and will never become perfectly straight.
Hiroaki explained that the thinner the bamboo, the more difficult it is to straighten.
The color and sheen of black bamboo also vary from piece to piece,
and no two are exactly alike.
Some are lighter in color, while others are darker.
Some have many spots, mottled patterns, or natural marks and scratches.
Looking at them one by one like this, I felt that, just like people,
each one is different, and those differences are what give each piece its own character.
I have put together a video showing the process of how black bamboo is prepared as a finished product.
Please take a look.
(* Music will play.)
We are pleased to announce that we will now be offering black bamboo from Kanasaki Bamboo Materials through our shop,
shipped directly from Wakayama Prefecture.
Kanasaki Bamboo Materials normally offers black bamboo in lengths of 2 m (approx. 6.6 ft), 3 m (approx. 9.8 ft),
and 4 m (approx. 13.1 ft).
These are intended for professional use and will be shipped directly from Wakayama Prefecture via Fukuyama Transport.
Black Bamboo / Wakayama / 2 m, 3 m & 4 m (Shipping within Japan only)
To make black bamboo easier for individual customers to enjoy as well,
Kanasaki Bamboo Materials has also specially prepared shorter lengths of 30 cm (approx. 11.8 in), 60 cm (approx. 23.6 in),
and 90 cm (approx. 35.4 in), in addition to their standard sizes.
Black Bamboo 30 cm, 60 cm & 90 cm / Wakayama-JPN 211310
On the product page, you can choose both the length and thickness of the bamboo.
Please choose the size that best suits how you would like to use it.
We hope you will enjoy incorporating Japanese black bamboo into your garden or outdoor space,
or as part of the interior of your home or shop.
In addition to the product pages above, we have also prepared a dedicated inquiry page for custom orders.
We can also accommodate requests such as:
・A different length from the standard sizes
・A larger quantity of Japanese black bamboo for events or installations
・Bulk orders of bamboo for landscaping or other professional use
If you have a request like these, please contact us through the custom-order inquiry page below.
Black Bamboo Bulk & Custom Order Inquiry
Please feel free to contact us.
This is how the longer black bamboo is prepared for shipping.
The packing process was just as impressive to watch,
with the bamboo quickly and neatly gathered into bundles one after another.
I have put together a video showing how the black bamboo is packed for shipping.
Please take a look.
(* Music will play.)
This time, I introduced the process of preparing whole round black bamboo as a finished product.
Kanasaki Bamboo Materials also makes a variety of other products using black bamboo.
In the next journal, I will take a closer look at some of these other black bamboo products.
There is still a little more to tell about black bamboo.
