Traditional craft
Ichii Ittobori
一位一刀彫
Woodcarving in Japanese yew from Hida in Gifu, left unpainted with bold chisel marks, using the wood's red heart and pale sapwood.
Key facts
- Officially recognised
- 10 May 1975
- Type
- Wood and bamboo
- Region
- Chubu
- Official name in Japanese
- 一位一刀彫
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 高山市、飛騨市、下呂市
Yew left bare
Ichii Ittobori is carved from ichii, Japanese yew from the Hida mountains, and never painted. The carvers make full use of the wood's character, cutting small animals, Buddhist figures and other subjects with fine expression through skilled chisel work. A figure carved from a single block has real presence. It is made in Takayama, Hida and Gero in Gifu as tea utensils, figures and masks.
Red heart, white sapwood
The yew is dried, and the block is cut so the flow of the grain and the contrast between shirata, the pale sapwood near the bark, and akata, the red heartwood, suit the shape. It is carved by hand with saws and chisels. The chisel marks are left on the surface as the finish, and no colour is applied.
From netsuke
In the late Edo period, carvers in Hida began making netsuke, small toggles for hanging items from a kimono sash, from local yew, using its beautiful grain without colour. This grew into Ichii Ittobori, which has since become the representative carving of Hida.
Good to know
- Look for figures where the red heartwood and pale sapwood form part of the design.
- Run a finger over the surface: the facets are chisel marks left on purpose.
Questions travellers ask
What is ichii?
Japanese yew, the only wood used, prized for its fine grain and red heart.
Is Ichii Ittobori painted?
No. It is left uncoloured, with the chisel marks showing.
Where it comes from
More crafts from the same area
Local foods from the same area
Heritage stories from the same area
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.