RYUKOBO

Kumi-himo, a traditional Edo craft that has continued for more than 1,400 years, is a craft in which several hundred fibers are assembled using a special stand called a kumidai for production.

There are about 250 types of kumi-himo patterns, which express the elegant color sense of the Japanese people, and are both elastic and sturdy, making them highly practical. 

This 136-year-old braided cord workshop is a group of about 50 craftsmen working under the direction of Takashi Fukuda, a contemporary master craftsman, in Nihombashi, Tokyo.

They usually make obijime and haori cords used for kimono, and their works have many fans in the imperial family, Kabuki and Rakugo circles, and various other Japanese cultural circles.

In recent years, they have been developing bracelets and stationery, as well as creating medal tapes for world championships and store displays for a long-established French maison. 

With the theme of "Edo's Iki," which has been passed down from generation to generation in Nihombashi, Tokyo, each product expresses Edo's sense of color and shapes for ease of use, and the company is also making products that have evolved with the times in Tokyo, the cutting edge of fashion.

They continue to pursue new possibilities of kumi-himo using "braiding" techniques, such as new materials called "super fibers". 

 

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Takashi Fukuda

Contemporary Master Craftsman / Medal with Yellow Ribbon / Tokyo Metropolitan Traditional Craftsman / Chuo-ku Distinguished Service Award

 

Ryuta Fukuda

Youngest Traditional Craftsman (Chiba Prefecture) / Award of Excellence, Japan Traditional Crafts Revival Contest