Kurikyu Odate Bentwood Award Winning Sake Cup

The Kurikyu sake cup is a combination of Japanese traditional craft and contemporary design. One slice of very thin Japanese cedar is bent to give the cups their unique shape. The beautiful grain of the wood layers is visible and emphasizes the design of the cups.

These sake cups received the Good Design Award.

Japanese Odate Bentwood work is made of Japanese cedar cut into very thin slices. The wood is cooked in boiling water until it becomes flexible so that it can be bended into various shapes. The end pieces of the bentwood are fixed together with dark cherry bark, which not only makes a nice dark accent on the light wood but also creates a durable and natural bond.

Kurikyu Bentwood is known for its high quality Bentwood work typical for the city of Odate in northern Japan. The company is run by Shunji Kurimori who represents the sixth generation of proprietors. He received many awards for his craft and also exhibited in many countries outside of Japan.