Washizuka Sculpture

The "dragon figurine”, the zodiac sign for the year 2024, is a charming gem with its delicate carving and wood-grain modeling, as well as its dull eyes.

Designated as a national traditional handicraft, “Ichii Itto-bori Carving" is a Hida-Takayama tradition that has continued since the Edo period and has produced many master carvers.

The creator, Mr. Mokujin Washizuka, mastered the art of Ichii Itto-bori carving in his own lifetime through training. He has inherited the skills of Hida's master craftsmen by delicately and sometimes boldly carving yew, which is hard and strong, to make the most of its charms.

In Hida Takayama, known as the village of artisans, Hida masters live with wood as their profession. One such craftsman, Mokujin Washizuka, creates "Ichii Itto-bori" carvings that maximize the appeal of wood and carry on the techniques of Hida's master craftsmen.