Hakone wood mosaic refers to a type of wood marquetry from Hakone in the Kanagawa Prefecture. The Hakone zaiku, or Hakone marquetry has been produced in the region for hundred of year, it is a very old tradition of woodcraft in Japan.
The Hakone Marquetry combines geometric patterns that can be up to fifty different pattern on one item. There is hundred on combination possible from a few classical pattern of Hakone Zaiku thus many products can be done.
After being meticulously selected the wood is then sawn or split and dried and seasoned over a period of months. After being stick together and backed with papers the veneers are applied on the wood to create the product. The wood isn’t colored after being put together, the colors are the natural colors of each different piece of wood.
Hakone Zaiku is now use to create many products, from the most traditional to the most modern ones. A famous product of Hakone Marquetry are the Magic boxes, these boxes require to move certain hidden places of the box in a specific order to be open, it can requires hundred of moves.
