A Thousand Strands of Light

Jan 9, 2026

birdcage, bamboo, bamboo craft, made in japan

「EP.102」駿河竹千筋細工

SURUGA TAKE SENSUJI ZAIKU
Shizuoka Prefecture

「transcript」

Shizuoka’s bamboo culture spans over 2,000 years, but the craft took its refined form in the 17th century when techniques were developed under Tokugawa Ieyasu’s (徳川家康) Sunpu (駿府) court when they created bird cages for the shogun's prized hawks.

Unlike other Japanese bamboo crafts that use flat strips, Suruga is defined by ultra‑fine round strands called maruhigo (丸ひご), just 0.8mm thick, originally created to avoid damaging the wings of birds and insects.

First, artisans choose the type of bamboo for each piece, and prepare them by splitting and shaving it down to its strongest outer layer. Once turned into thin rods, they are pulled through progressively smaller metal openings until perfectly smooth and uniform. Frames are shaped with heated molds, joined seamlessly, and drilled with precise angles before the maruhigo are inserted one by one. The result is a unique craft that is soft and round with no rigid edge to be found.

Today, the craft lives on through modern interior pieces and delicate everyday objects, sustained by a small community of around a dozen master artisans.

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