A Journey to Wakayama in Search of Black Bamboo (Part 3)
Hello. This is Tomotake Ichikawa.
In the previous journal entries, I introduced the black bamboo grove and the process by which harvested black bamboo is prepared as whole round bamboo products.
At Kanasaki Bamboo Materials, they make use of as much of the black bamboo as possible—not only the whole round stems, but also the branches and tips—turning the material into a variety of products.
The first item I would like to introduce here is called “Nagaho.”
It makes use of the bamboo all the way to the tip, with the slender branches left intact.
Among these Nagaho, bundles made from selected thicker bamboo are known as “Futo-Nagaho.”
At Kanasaki Bamboo Materials, bamboo brought in from Wakayama and Kochi is sorted according to thickness and length.
The thinner bamboo is then broadly divided into two groups:
・Bamboo that has its branches removed and is prepared as whole round black bamboo
・Bamboo that keeps its branches intact, is cut to length, and is prepared as “Nagaho” or “Futo-Nagaho”
These are the two main ways the thinner bamboo is used.
For these products, the length is measured from the tip of the bamboo.
At around 2.2 m (approx. 7.2 ft) from the tip, the lower end of the bamboo is cut away, as shown in the photograph.
Because these products are made to preserve and make use of the bamboo tip,
the length is measured from the tip as the reference point.
Nagaho and Futo-Nagaho are left with even the fine branches intact. 
This is the tip of a bundle of Nagaho after it has been packed for shipping. 
This is the lower end of the bundle. 
Nagaho is bundled in this way and prepared for shipment.
Next is another black bamboo product.
It looks somewhat similar to the “Nagaho” introduced above, but this one is called “Kuroho.”
Kuroho is made by gathering the branches that are cut away when black bamboo is trimmed.
It is shorter than Nagaho, measuring approximately 80 cm to 1 m (approx. 31.5–39.4 in) in overall length.
Once a certain amount of branches has been gathered, they are layered together while alternating their direction. As with Nagaho, they are then bundled into units weighing approximately 18 kg (about 39.7 lb). 
Because Kuroho is made from gathered branches, it contains even more fine twigs than the Nagaho introduced earlier. 
Even the very tips of the branches are left intact and put to use. 
Kuroho is also bundled in this form when it is prepared for delivery.
Whether Nagaho or Kuroho,
I was impressed by how such bulky bamboo and branches could be bundled so compactly.
Then Hiroaki said to me,
“I’m about to bundle some Nagaho. Would you like to watch?”
Of course, I said I would, and he kindly showed me the process.
Akihito, the father, and Hiroaki, his son, each pick up a wooden tightening stick fitted with a wire. First, the wire is passed underneath the bundle of bamboo. Then the two of them exchange the tightening sticks. 
They then place the exchanged tightening sticks beneath the bamboo bundle and, using leverage, pull firmly to tighten the bundle. 
By the time the tightening sticks reach the ground, the bamboo bundle has been compressed and secured very firmly. 
While the bundle is held tightly in place with the tightening sticks, Hiroaki quickly secures it with rope. 
Because the lower end of the bundle was already held firmly together, the final tip section could be tied without using the tightening sticks. 
In this way, the Nagaho is quickly gathered into a single bundle. For Akihito and Hiroaki, this is probably a familiar task they repeat as part of their daily work. But for me, seeing it for the first time, the way they worked in perfect rhythm, with such confident and effortless movements, was striking to watch, and I found myself completely drawn in.
Please watch the video to see Akihito and Hiroaki bundling the Nagaho together using the wooden tightening sticks.
(* Music will play.)
This video shows how Kuroho is bundled for shipping. Please take a look.
(* Music will play.)
Nagaho, Futo-Nagaho, and Kuroho are all products commonly used for bamboo fencing, landscaping,
and similar applications.
Due to shipping requirements, these products are intended mainly for professional customers.
They can be ordered as direct-shipping items from Wakayama Prefecture through the pages below.
While I was visiting for this interview,
an overseas visitor who had been walking the Kumano Kodo also stopped by the workshop.
Akihito, Hiroaki’s father, used his smartphone to help explain the bamboo carefully to the visitor from overseas.
For people from abroad who may have few opportunities to encounter bamboo or bamboo products,
I imagine that visiting the workshop and seeing the material up close must have been an interesting experience.
Nagaho and Kuroho are mainly intended for professional customers due to shipping requirements.
But as I spoke with the Kanasaki family and watched their work, there was something else that caught my attention.
It was the small black bamboo branches shown in the photograph above.
Even the small branches removed during trimming were carefully kept.
As I looked at their simple form and the distinctive character of black bamboo,
I began to feel that these small branches had plenty of appeal on their own.
An 18 kg (about 39.7 lb) bundle like Kuroho would be far too much for most households.
So I asked Kanasaki Bamboo Materials whether it might be possible to offer these branches individually,
starting from just one piece, so that they could be enjoyed more casually at home.
This is what a single small black bamboo branch looks like when held in the hand. 
This is what three small black bamboo branches look like when held together. 
This is what five small black bamboo branches look like when held together. 
This is a bundle of ten small black bamboo branches. For example, simply placing them loosely in a ceramic or glass vase could create a calm arrangement while still preserving their natural, rustic character.
Black bamboo branches are available from the page below.
Please take a look.
Another thing that caught my attention was the black bamboo leaves shown here.
The leaves, too, were carefully gathered and stored rather than being discarded.
Depending on the season and how much time has passed since harvesting, the condition of the leaves can vary. The black bamboo leaves I was shown that day were extremely light, and whenever they brushed against one another, they made a dry, rustling sound. 
Even in a simple, minimal space, adding just a few of these leaves seems to bring a softer atmosphere.
We hope these leaves can be incorporated into a variety of settings, from crafts, displays,
and styling for photography to stage props and garden arrangements.
You can find the product page for black bamboo leaves here.
[Direct Shipping from Wakayama / Japan Only] Black Bamboo Leaves – 100 g (3.53 oz) / Wakayama-JPN 211342-1
My stay in Wakayama was brief, but it gave me many new things to notice and think about.
I learned that growing black bamboo begins with protecting the young bamboo shoots.
I also learned how much time and effort goes into the bamboo
even before it is harvested in the mountains and brought to the workshop.
Every single piece of black bamboo, among the hundreds and thousands that are handled,
passes through human hands.
And not just once.
Through the many stages of the process, the same piece of bamboo is handled again and again,
gradually being prepared until it is ready to be delivered to the customer.
What first led me to visit Kanasaki Bamboo Materials was simply the thought
that I would like to ask them about offering whole round black bamboo.
But when I actually visited, I discovered many different products that make use of black bamboo.
During the visit, I also came across things that made me think,
“I would love to make this available to our customers as well.”
Just as Madake bamboo is used in many different ways—from its shoots and sheaths to the bamboo itself—
I learned that black bamboo, too, is used as fully as possible, with very little of each plant going to waste.
Kanasaki Bamboo Materials has specialized in black bamboo for more than a century.
The way they work—making use of even the branches and leaves whenever possible rather than letting them go to waste—
also reflects the care and respect they have long shown for this material.
Through this visit, I was able to rediscover just how much depth there is to black bamboo as a material.
I hope that, through this journal, you have also been able to sense a little of its appeal.
I also hope you will have the chance to pick up one of the black bamboo products introduced here, even just a single piece, and experience its individual character and texture for yourself.
I hope to visit again someday during the harvesting season and share that part of the process with you here in the journal.
My sincere thanks to everyone at Kanasaki Bamboo Materials for your time and generosity during this visit.
The End
