Nagoya paulownia wood chests are said to have originated about 400 years ago when craftsmen involved in the construction of Nagoya Castle settled in the castle town and began making chests and other furniture. After the Tokugawa shogunate unified Japan, as people's lives and the economy stabilized, textile production increased rapidly, and clothing became more abundant. As high-quality kimono became accessible to the general public, there was a need for functional and rational chests to replace the storage furniture of the past.
Furthermore, Nagoya's proximity to the Hida region, which boasts abundant forest resources, and its access to Hida paulownia, one of the finest timbers in the country, greatly contributed to its development.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. Drying should be done by natural drying.

   

  2. The boards used shall be solid wood. In this case, the thickness of the boards shall be 19 mm or more for the top board, side boards, shelves and bottom boards, 13 mm or more for the support boards, and 7 mm or more for the back boards and drawer bottom boards.

   

  3. The top panel shall be joined to the side panels by a front-facing dovetail joint of 7 or more panels, a dovetail joint with a front-facing dovetail, or a wrap-around dovetail joint; the bottom panel shall be joined to the side panels by a front-facing dovetail joint of 7 or more panels, a wrap-around dovetail joint, or a mortise and tenon joint; and the shelf panels shall be joined to the side panels by a mortise and tenon joint.

   

  4. The drawer components shall be joined by a dovetail joint, a mortise and tenon joint, a dovetail joint, or a mortise and tenon joint.

   

  5. When installing doors or sliding doors, the following techniques or methods shall be used:
  (1) In the case of boards, the thickness of the board material shall be 19 millimeters or more, and the frame of the core material shall be joined by a miter joint.
  (2) In the case of framed structures, the thickness of the board material shall be 19 millimeters or more for frame members and 7 millimeters or more for door panels, and the frame members shall be joined by flat miter joints or mortise and tenon joints.

   

  6. Use "leg nails" to join the side panels to the legs.

   

  7. The finishing process involves polishing using uzukuri and coloring using yashabushi, followed by wax polishing.

   

  raw materials

  1. The wood used should be paulownia.

  2. The nails shall be made of cypress wood or a material of equivalent quality.

  3. The metal fittings shall be made of copper, copper alloy, or iron.

• Work scene

  Work scene

  The production process for NAGOYA Kiri Tansu (Paulownia Chests) can be broken down into as many as 134 steps, but here we will only introduce the major steps. Each paulownia chest of drawers is handcrafted from start to finish by a single craftsman, and it takes a month to make a pair (two chests for a husband and wife), making it an extremely time-consuming process.

  Process 1: Building material

  The paulownia wood is naturally dried for one to two years before being milled. In its plank form, it is then naturally dried for another six months to a year, during which time it is exposed to rain to remove the tannins. Carefully performing these stages of tannin removal and drying prevents warping and discoloration in the finished product.

  

  Process 2: Tree cutting

  We select and cut the wood according to its grain and knots, depending on where it will be used (drawers, doors, etc.). We must consider the finished product and take care to ensure that the most beautiful grain of the paulownia wood is displayed.

  

  Step 3: Correcting misalignment

  Next, the wood is heated over a fire to correct any warping. Because paulownia wood is softer and more pliable than other types of wood, once warping or distortion is corrected, it cannot be restored to its original state. This characteristic of paulownia wood is used to make the corrections. The time and effort put into these steps is what determines the quality of the finished product.

  画像をクリックすると動画が再生されます

  Step 4: Joining

  Multiple planks are joined together to create a single board. After sanding the joining surfaces flat, adhesive is applied, and the planks are secured with string or fasteners before being allowed to air dry. This technique is essential for making wide planks because large logs of paulownia wood are scarce.

  

  Process 5: Body processing

  The planks, which have been joined together to the correct dimensions, are cut, planed, and assembled. At this stage, a technique called "mortise and tenon joint" is used, where interlocking grooves and protrusions are created on each of the two planks to be joined is employed. Even for a skilled craftsman, assembling the main body takes a full day. This is the process that the craftsman pays the most attention to, as the success or failure of the paulownia wood, which has been prepared over a long period of time, depends on how it is assembled. The joints are glued and then secured with wooden pegs made of cypress wood.

  画像をクリックすると動画が再生されます

  Step 6: Drawer processing

  To make the drawers, you first create the frame and then attach the bottom panel. Once that's in place, the assembly is complete.

  

  Process 7: Finishing

  After adjusting the entire surface of the wood with a finishing plank, the wood is polished and the grain is brought out using a "uzukuri" made from bundled roots of the Japanese laurel tree. Then, a mixture of "yashabushi liquid," made by brewing alder nuts, and wood flour is applied to add color and refine the grain, and finally, it is polished with wax.

  

  Step 8: Attaching the hardware

  Finally, attach the metal fittings and it's complete.

  

   

• Close-up

  Close-up

  When perfected, it's all paulownia wood: A paulownia chest of drawers as seen by a craftsman.

  The history of NAGOYA Kiri Tansu (Paulownia Chests) is long. It is said that they were first made in 1610 when a cabinetmaker moved to the area when Nagoya Castle was built. In this region, where brides are particular about their dowry, a pair of chests—a high chest, a medium-opening chest, and a matching pair of chests for husbands and wives—were indispensable for a long time. However, the environment surrounding paulownia chests has become difficult recently. This time, we spoke with Mr. Koreto Harada, a craftsman who has been observing the developments surrounding Nagoya paulownia chests for nearly half a century.

   

  From Shimane to NAGOYA Kiri Tansu (Paulownia Chests) Craftsman

  Harada, originally from Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture, came to Nagoya when he was 16 years old. Born into a family of craftsmen—his grandfather was an umbrella maker and his father a carpenter—Harada loved making things from a young age. He decided to become a craftsman when he was in elementary school. After graduating from junior high school, he was introduced to his current company, whose president is a graduate of the vocational training school where he studied woodworking, and joined the company. For over 40 years since coming to Nagoya, Harada has continued to make chests of drawers. "I just loved it. I loved it more than anyone else."

  

  The manufacturing process for NAGOYA Kiri Tansu (Paulownia Chests) can be broken down into as many as 134 steps.

  Continuing to create chests of drawers that are in line with the times.

  From the mid-1950s, genuine paulownia wood chests of drawers stopped selling. Cheaper and more stylish products made from new materials began to appear from various furniture manufacturers. Around that time, Mr. Harada created a chest of drawers made of melamine laminate and won the Minister of International Trade and Industry Award at the All Japan Furniture Federation Exhibition. This was in 1961. Melamine laminate was a cutting-edge material at the time; it was stain-resistant and cheaper than paulownia wood, becoming a huge hit. He said that he couldn't keep up with the demand even if he worked until 11 or 12 every night. It wasn't until around 1975 that genuine paulownia wood chests of drawers started to appear again little by little. Mr. Harada created a new type of chest of drawers called "Domaru," which had thicker side panels and rounded corners, and also received an award from the Aichi Prefecture Furniture Federation. The luxurious "Domaru" is now one of the standards for paulownia wood chests of drawers. Mr. Harada says that you have to make things that are in line with the times.

  The strength of paulownia wood proven by flood damage

  In September 2000, heavy rains caused rivers to overflow in Aichi Prefecture, resulting in flooding of over 60,000 homes, mainly in Nishibiwajima-cho near Nagoya City. Many paulownia wood chests that had been submerged in the flood were brought in for repair. However, after drying the chests that had been floating in the water and opening the drawers, it was found that the kimonos inside were mostly undamaged. Mr. Harada himself repaired several paulownia wood chests that had been damaged by the flood. "Paulownia wood chests are fine even if they get a little wet. The gaps in the drawers fit together perfectly, completely sealing out moisture." This is not the case with Western-style chests. The reason is that in Japanese chests, the front panels of the drawers are slightly recessed compared to the dividers, while in Western-style chests, the drawers protrude, resulting in a difference in the degree of airtightness when the wood expands due to moisture. Naturally, water will seep in through the keyhole after being submerged in water for several days, but they plan to improve the waterproofing of the keyhole based on the lessons learned from this flood.

  

  The most difficult technique is undoubtedly planing.

  A paulownia wood chest of drawers that can be used for three generations.

  Recently, a large number of products are being sold as "paulownia chests," but are actually just plywood with thin paulownia wood veneers glued to the surface. They are so well-made that it is difficult for an amateur to tell the difference, and they are being sold for about half the price of a genuine paulownia chest, which costs around 1.5 million yen. Also, with the proliferation of cheap Western-style furniture, paulownia chests, which were long an indispensable part of a bride's dowry, are no longer popular with young people. "But you know, if you're looking for the real thing, it has to be solid paulownia. Even if solid paulownia gets damaged by floods or becomes dirty with age, you can wash it and plane it down so that it looks brand new. That's why it can be used for three generations. But you can't wash something that's just a thin paulownia veneer or a Western-style chest. They're completely different," asserts Harada, who has also made plywood chests.

  A history spanning many generations

  A senior colleague with whom I had worked closely and constantly strived to improve his skills quit three years ago. He said it was getting too physically demanding. "I actually want to retire and take it easy too. But, you know, that's not possible." Finding a successor is difficult. Even at Harada's company, which currently employs the most craftsmen among NAGOYA Kiri Tansu (Paulownia Chests) factories, all seven craftsmen are over 50. He wants to somehow train one or two young people before he retires. It's a source of worry for him as factory manager. "Craftsmanship is an unassuming job. It takes time to become a full-fledged craftsman. You can't pay a lot of money to someone who's not yet fully trained. But, making things is enjoyable. I've been doing it for 45 years, and I think it's been a happy life." At the old Iwata family home in Ichinomiya City, near Nagoya, a 200-year-old paulownia chest is still in use. Paulownia wood is light and doesn't warp easily. It doesn't let moisture through and is resistant to insects. Moreover, it's fire-resistant. It's a luxurious history that only genuine products can possess.

  

  One craftsman makes everything by hand, from start to finish.

  Craftsman Profile

  ​Tadanobu Harada

  Born in Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture in 1939 (Showa 14).
  After graduating from junior high school, I attended a vocational training school and then joined Izumoya Furniture Manufacturing Co., Ltd., a Nagoya-based manufacturer of paulownia wood NAGOYA Kiri Tansu (Paulownia Chests). For over 40 years since then, I have dedicated myself solely to the production of chests of drawers.

  

  Anecdotes

  Traditional techniques of paulownia wood chest craftsmen: joinery (shikuchi)

  NAGOYA Kiri Tansu (Paulownia Chests) feature a technique called "shikuchi," which involves joining boards at right angles without using nails. There are numerous methods for this shikuchi, depending on where it's being joined, such as the chest body, drawers, and doors. These methods are advanced woodworking techniques and not easily imitated, but let us introduce you to a glimpse of the craftsman's skill.
  1. Dovetail joints and 2. 3. 4. 4. 3. 4. 4. 4. 5. 34. 5. 4. 5. 4. 5. 4. 5. 4. 5. 4. 5. 5. 4. 5. 4. 5. 5. 4. 5. 5. 4. 5. 5. 4. 5. 5. 5. 6. 5. 4. 5. 5. 5. 6. 5. 4. 5. 5. 6. 5. 5. 6. 5. 5. 6. 5. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6. 5. 6.

  dovetail joint
  dovetail joint
  Front miter joint
  Front-retaining dovetail joint