Bamboo Bag Atelier KISETSU "Bamboo & Denim Tote Bag" JAC-TKS-504-04

This Bamboo & Denim Tote Bag is a new design first introduced in 2021.
It features a beautifully woven basket made from Kyomeitake white bamboo, known for its pure and elegant color, paired softly with textured, high-quality Japanese denim fabric.
The handles are made from Sanadahimo, a traditional handwoven cord crafted by artisans in Kyoto, offering both a gentle feel and a subtle touch of craftsmanship.
Blending Japanese and Western elements in harmony, this bag fits naturally into both everyday life and special occasions, and can be enjoyed throughout the seasons.

Profile of Hideaki Hosokawa, founder and artisan
Hideaki Hosokawa devoted himself to studying bamboo craftsmanship after he turned thirty.
He established a workshop/atelier in Kyoto, and his approach is notable for treading a path between innovation and ancient tradition.
Times may change, but he remains committed to the pursuit of innovation and universality, with a focus on the creation of “products that people want to touch and hold, will never tire of and that have universal appeal regardless of age or gender.”

1974 Born in Tokyo
2005 Entered to Traditional Arts Super College of Kyoto
2007 Graduated from Traditional Arts Super College of Kyoto
2011 National certification of bamboo craft first-class professional skills, Open the bamboo bag atelier KISETSU, Received Kyoto Mayor’s award at 51st Kyoto bamboo craft exhibition
2012 Exibihited at Culturel du Louvre “Salon International du Patrimoine Culturel”, France
2013 Kyoto prefecture certified as a bamboo craft artisan ‘Kyo-mono nintei kogei-shi’
2014 Received Kyoto Mayor’s Award at bamboo crafts exhibition in Kyoto and Grand prix at Kyo-mono Use Competition
2018 Received Japan’s Prime Minister’s Prize at Traditional Crafts of Japan 2018 (Aziro-ami Second bag / Bamboo Clutch Bag)
2019 Received a Prize at Traditional Crafts of Japan 2019 (Aziro-ami Briefcase / Bamboo Briefcase)
2020 Kyoto city certified as a master of the future ‘Mirai no Meisho’ (Kyoto bamboo crafts)”

The artisan craft of braiding thin bamboo strips to make baskets is called ‘henso.’ This is the technique we use at Kisetsu to make our bamboo bags.
The process of cutting up and preparing the materials and then combining them to make our bags is similar in some respects to making bags from fabric or leather.
In this section, we look at what makes the method of handcrafting bamboo products unique.

1.‘Takewari’ (Dividing)
The finely cut bamboo strips used for weaving are called ‘takehigo.’ The process of creating these strips starts with dividing the ‘marutake’ (round bamboo). First of all the bamboo pieces are cut up to the required length and divided in half lengthways. This is ‘takewari’. These strips are then repeatedly split in half (a process called ‘hegi’ (2.)) until they are close to the desired width and thickness.
2.‘Hegi’ (Splitting)
The process of progressively splitting the bamboo between outer layer and inner core to the appropriate width is called ‘hegi.’ After the bamboo pieces are divided in half lengthways (1. takewari), they are split in half (hegi). The process is alternately repeated until the strips are close to the required width and thickness. Only the outer layer is used for bamboo basket making.
3.‘Habahiki’ (Trimming width)
This is the process of trimming the strips to ensure they are all of uniform width. There are special tools available for this purpose, but at our workshop we use small blades for ‘habahiki’ and perform the process by hand. It is no exaggeration to say that “beautiful bamboo craftwork requires beautiful bamboo strips ,” so it is vital that the strips are of uniform width.
4.‘Mentori’ (Chamfering)
The edges of the strips are chamfered to make them smooth.
5.‘Urasuki’ (Shaving)
The backs of the strips are frayed after splitting, so they are shaved down with a knife. The thickness of the bamboo strips used for our bamboo basket bags varies from bag to bag. The thinnest strips are around 0.2mm thick. This process aligns the thickness to ensure the strips are all of uniform thickness.
6.‘Senshoku’ (Coloring)
The next step is to color the strips with dye. Our bamboo bags are usually made with two kinds of tinted bamboo strips, light brown and dark brown. The outer layer of bamboo is covered with enamel which makes it extremely difficult to apply dye or lacquer, so this is scraped off right at the start of the process before the bamboo pieces are split.
7.‘Takeami’ (Weaving)
Once the bamboo strips are prepared, they can be woven together to create the basket. Although the strips are very thin, the actual process of weaving can create unevenness by pushing the strips outwards. The artisan therefore holds the bamboo down and weaves the bamboo without leaving any gaps.
8.‘Himage’ (Heat bending)
Himage is the process of heating and bending bamboo (strips). We use this technique to make the rims of our basket bags. Thin strips of bamboo tend to snap back when pushed or bent. However, provided the strips are the right width and thickness, they can be bent into shape by gently applying heat to soften the bamboo fibers. However, if the bamboo gets too hot, it burns or breaks, so absolute concentration is required.
9.‘To-kagari’ (Rattan stitching)
Finely cut strips of rattan are entwined round the edges of the basket bag. ‘To-kagari’ is a vital part of the production process to ensure the basket is sturdy and looks good. If the rattan is loose, the whole structure will be weak. If the stitching is uneven, this will ruin the rest of the appearance of the carefully woven basket. Therefore the artisan needs to use just the right amount of strength.
10.‘Urushi-nuri’ (Lacquering)
Urushi is the natural resin lacquer from the urushi tree. Just as wooden tables are polished and coated with oil and resin, urushi is used as lacquer for our bamboo bags. The woven surface of the basket is uneven, so this is not like painting on a flat surface. The lacquer must be applied carefully so as to avoid accumulation in the hollow spaces, or uneven and unpainted sections. Painting and drying is repeated three times for thoroughness. Air humidity affects the curing process for the lacquer. Therefore, to ensure optimal conditions for drying, the bag is placed in a room with controlled humidity (called a ‘muro’) to dry.
11.‘Kumiage’ (Assembling the basket/bag)
The distinguishing feature of our bags is that the component parts of the bags (for clutch bags, the left and right baskets; for briefcases the main bag and lid) are all of the same respective size and shape without any gaps in the weaving. Production to these specifications requires extreme skill on the part of the artisans and is different to the process for ordinary bamboo bags that just have a single basket.
12.‘Ro-migaki’ (wax polishing)
Our bags are polished with ibota wax (insect wax) to add gloss and prevent the bamboo from splitting. Ibota wax is produced from wax secreted by the ‘ibota-ro-mushi’, an insect that is a parasite of Japanese privet. It is a solid wax with a relatively high melting point, that is frequently used for polishing bamboo. The old adage is that the oil from one’s hands adds the perfect finish to a bamboo bag. However, that is a process that takes many years. At Kisetsu we treat our bags with ibota wax which protects the bags and serves as a finish that can then be enhanced naturally through constant use.

• Bamboo Bag Atelier KISETSU "Bamboo & Denim Tote Bag"
• Size：Length about 30㎝ × Width about 33cm × Thickness about 10㎝ × Handle about 20cm
• Material：Denim fabric, Bamboo
• Product No.：JAC-TKS-504-04
• *Since these are handmade from natural wood, the grain and color of the wood may vary from piece to piece, and the size and weight may vary slightly.
• Weight：about 480ｇ
• include a paper box


• 1,000 JPY flat rate shipping within Japan, free shipping for purchases totaling 20,000 JPY or more.
  Please bear the actual cost for shipping charges outside Japan.