In Japan, a broom has long been more than a simple cleaning tool. A Japanese broom is part of a quiet daily habit—sweeping dust from the floor, caring for the home, and keeping a space feeling calm and orderly.
Even today, when vacuum cleaners are common in most homes, traditional Japanese brooms continue to be valued. The reason is not only their cultural beauty, but also their practical function. A well-made broom can reach fine dust, hair, and debris hidden in places that machines do not always clean well.
Among these tools, the Nambu Broom stands apart. Made in Kunohe Village, Iwate Prefecture, it is crafted from broomcorn grown in the village’s unique climate. Its naturally curled bristles reach into the grooves of wooden floors, the weave of tatami mats, and even the fibers of carpets, sweeping out dust and hair in a way that feels entirely different from a vacuum cleaner.
Takakura Kogei’s Nambu Broom is not a tool to be replaced every few years. With proper care, it can be used for decades. Here, we take a closer look at what makes this traditional Japanese broom so functional, beautiful, and enduring.
Contents
What Is the Japanese Nambu Broom?
The Nambu Broom is a traditional Japanese craft made from a plant called broomcorn, cultivated in Kunohe Village, Iwate Prefecture. With a history dating back to the Edo period, it is a rare handcrafted tool whose true quality can still only be recreated in this region.
Takakura Kogei, based in Kunohe Village, Iwate Prefecture, spends an entire year creating each Nambu Broom, carrying out every step in-house—from preparing the soil, sowing the seeds, harvesting, and sorting, to the final hand-weaving.
What Makes the Nambu Broom Different
The defining feature of the Nambu Broom is the distinctive “curl” that appears at the tips of its bristles.
This curl is created by the cold, moist northeastern wind known as “yamase,” which blows into Kunohe Village from the Sea of Okhotsk side. Even if the same broomcorn is grown elsewhere, this curl will not appear in the same way. Only the climate of Kunohe Village creates the material unique to the Nambu Broom.
In addition, most commercially available brooms have their bristle tips cut evenly, but Nambu Brooms are intentionally finished with uneven tips. The combination of curled bristles and irregular lengths allows them to reach into the grooves of wooden floors, the weave of tatami mats, and the spaces between carpet fibers, sweeping out dirt without the need for force.
Another often-overlooked quality is that broomcorn is less prone to static electricity. Because the material does not easily generate static, dust and debris are less likely to cling to the bristles. This means there is no need to remove dirt from the broom by hand after every use.
The strength of the curl depends on the natural conditions of each year. Materials with especially strong curls are extremely rare, and some of the finest long-handled brooms can cost over one million yen. The phrase “a one-of-a-kind broom” is not a metaphor—it is a fact.
One Year of Handwork by Takakura Kogei
The maker behind these truly one-of-a-kind brooms is Takakura Kogei in Kunohe Village, Iwate Prefecture.
Its representative, Kiyokatsu Takakura, is certified in agricultural management and personally oversees the entire cultivation process, from preparing the soil and sowing the seeds to harvesting the broomcorn. No agricultural chemicals are used. Great care is taken from the cultivation stage in order to bring out the distinctive curl as fully as possible.
The making of a broom is a year-long process.
In spring, once the snow has melted, the soil is tilled and the seeds are sown. In summer, each stalk is harvested by hand, a process that takes a month and a half even with six experienced artisans working together. The broomcorn is then boiled, dried, and sorted. The careful process of sorting it into 15 grades requires five artisans to work for more than a month and a half. From autumn through winter, artisans tightly weave each broom by hand and foot, finally completing a single finished piece.
Takakura Kogei’s Organic Long-Handled Broom was born from a request by a customer with chemical sensitivities: “Please make a broom that people like me can use, too.” To create dyed threads without synthetic fibers in the areas touched by the hand, Takakura Kogei collaborated with artisans across Japan and spent three years on research and development. The result is organic silk thread dyed with natural colors. Safflower, indigo, and persimmon tannin quietly adorn the handle of each broom.
How to Use It in Everyday Life
For quiet cleaning in the morning or evening
Because it does not make noise like a vacuum cleaner, it can be used without worrying about the time of day. For those busy with work or childcare, it is useful for cleaning at night. In the early morning, while the family is still asleep, it allows you to quietly sweep just the areas that need attention. With its 130 cm long handle, the long-handled type can be used to clean hallways and entire rooms without bending over, making it gentle on the body as well.
For dirt hidden deep inside rugs and carpets
The stronger the curl of the bristles, the more resilient they become. This resilience allows the bristles to reach deep into carpet and rug fibers, sweeping out tangled hair and pet fur without the need for force. Many people use a Nambu Broom as a finishing touch after vacuuming.
For cleaning rugs and carpets
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As part of the room, even when not in use
Of course, it can be used to sweep soil and sand outdoors, but the uneven bristle tips are also gentle on tatami mats and wooden floors, making it easy to use for small areas around the entrance. Even when it is not being used for cleaning, simply leaning it against a wall turns it into part of the interior. This quiet presence is another reason why Nambu Brooms are chosen.
For caring for clothing
A broom may be thought of simply as a cleaning tool, but the soft bristles of the Nambu Broom can also be used for brushing clothing. Takakura Kogei’s clothing broom has large curled bristles that gently touch the fabric, helping to smooth fuzz and restore a natural sheen.
In fact, traditional tailors once used brooms to finish garments before handing them over to customers. Just as hair is combed, clothing was cared for with a broom. This is a piece of wisdom born from handwork.
Taking time to care for a favorite garment not with a brush, but with a broom, becomes a small act of thoughtful living—one that helps you continue using the things you love for a long time.
A refined finish for clothing
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For grooming pets
A tool originally made for cleaning also plays a role in caring for pets. Takakura Kogei’s pet grooming brush, used to care for the coats of dogs and cats, is one of its popular items.
The bristles are not sharp comb teeth, but soft natural fibers made from broomcorn. As the pet is gently stroked, some close their eyes in comfort or press their backs closer. Even pets that usually dislike brushing may show a relaxed, content expression. It can be used with confidence on the delicate skin of dogs, which is said to be about one-third the thickness of human skin. In addition to smoothing the coat, it also offers a massage-like sensation that may help promote circulation.
A soothing broom for pets
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How to Care for a Nambu Broom
To use a Nambu Broom for 20 or even 30 years, there are a few points worth knowing.
Do not beat objects with it or push it into narrow gaps
Do not use the broom to beat futons, tap it against steps to remove dirt, or push it into narrow spaces, as this may bend the bristles in the opposite direction and damage them.
Do not cut the bristle tips
Cutting the bristle tips reduces the sweeping power created by their uneven length. If the bristles become dirty, rinse them in water or lukewarm water with a mild detergent, then dry them thoroughly in the shade. During the rainy season, the center may take longer to dry and mold may develop, so please take extra care.
Do not sweep with too much force
Pressing so hard that the bristles bend in the middle will not remove more dirt; instead, it may damage the bristles. Also, using the broom only in one direction can create a habit in the bristles, so try to use it in both directions whenever possible. When not in use, hang it by the string on a nail or hook, or store it standing with the bristles facing upward.
Using it properly also teaches us how to engage with a tool. The more care you give it, the more it responds. This, too, is one of the reasons why Nambu Brooms have long been loved.
A Tool Made to Last
A Nambu Broom is not an inexpensive everyday tool. But with proper use, it can last for more than 20 years and even be passed down across generations. It is fundamentally different from tools that are replaced and thrown away again and again.
The broomcorn that can only be nurtured by the climate of Kunohe Village in Iwate Prefecture. The handwork of artisans who spend an entire year crafting each piece. The way it supports daily life beyond cleaning alone. Takakura Kogei’s Nambu Broom contains the richness of a single tool made with extraordinary depth and care.
To cherish something carefully made, and to continue using it with care. That choice itself can enrich everyday life. Why not begin with a Nambu Broom?
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