{"product_id":"usubori-chouna-japanese-traditional-wooden-mortar-craftsman-tool-by-kunimune","title":"Usubori-Chouna Japanese Traditional Wooden Mortar Craftsman Tool by Kunimune","description":"\u003cp\u003eSmith name: \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMunekuni(國宗)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteel:\u003cstrong\u003e \u003cem\u003eCarbon steel\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJigane: \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlade length: \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e130mm\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlade width: \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e84mm\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWooden handle length: \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e120mm\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTotal length: \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e160mm \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eManufacture Era: \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEarlier than 1950\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWeight: \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e946g\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccessories:\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e -\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdditional Information:  \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis is a used, classic-style Usubori-Chouna. I discovered it in an antique shop near Yokohama. What captivated me most was the remnants of the hammer texture left on the blade. The entire piece embodies the rustic beauty of a functional tool shaped by time and honest labor. The handle, which has developed an amber patina from long-term use, blends seamlessly with the blade. Judging from the tool marks and its overall form, the blacksmith’s mastery is clear—there is no hesitation in his craft. The work shows minimal file work and absolutely no signs of an electric grinder; it was shaped almost entirely through the blacksmith's cold-hammer forging.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe history of this blacksmith and his lineage is documented on pages 205 and 206 of the book \"The Nokaji (Rural Blacksmiths) of Aizu\". Based on my research, it was likely crafted by the first-generation Kunimune, whose birth name was \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eOta Yuji  (born in the 39th year of Meiji, and passed away on March 30, the 63th year of Showa). He apprenticed under his uncle, \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eOta Kameshiro  (brand unknown), before independently establishing his own brand, Kunimune. He specialized in forestry and agricultural tools, and was particularly renowned for his sickles (Kama).\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInterestingly, his uncle's son—who was two years younger than Yuji—inherited Kameshiro's business and relocated to the Yokohama area in the 29th year of Showa. This historical thread might perfectly explain how this specific Chouna found its way into an antique shop in Yokohama.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt 24:25 seconds in the video below, the mortar craftsman begins to use \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUsubori-Chona (Recent popular styles).\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003ca style=\"color: #00aaff;\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5nrtJf7RFwE\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmateur interview with a Usu (mortar maker for Japanese traditional food \"MOCHI\") in Hirabayashi, Yamanashi Prefecture, where Usu-making has continued for over 700 years (from the Kamakura era, two periods before the Edo era).\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e臼（Usu） is a wooden container. It has a bowl-like shape dug into the end of a full length of log that can withstand a beating, as the video below demonstrates.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003ca style=\"color: #00aaff;\" href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/shorts\/FzIh1Y71VzM?si=2LIW00SW_wRx0ZU0\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ehttps:\/\/youtube.com\/shorts\/FzIh1Y71VzM?si=uOanQTXYQUe0wReo\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TENMOKU","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48077749846254,"sku":null,"price":30000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0692\/0162\/5326\/files\/kunimunechouna.2.jpg?v=1780015297","url":"https:\/\/tenmoku0701.myshopify.com\/zh\/products\/usubori-chouna-japanese-traditional-wooden-mortar-craftsman-tool-by-kunimune","provider":"TENMOKU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}