Natural Wood Bottle Cooler

Yui-oke · 700-year tradition · OKE-EI, Fukagawa, Tokyo

"I believe I may be the only one still crafting Edo-style Yui-oke buckets in Tokyo."
So says Eifu Kawamata, fourth-generation artisan of OKE-EI — a workshop in Fukagawa, Tokyo, dedicated to preserving a 700-year-old Japanese cooperage tradition.

The Yui-oke technique involves tightly binding slender wooden staves with hoops — without nails or paint. The surface is polished to reveal the natural grain and luster of the wood, radiating a quiet, organic beauty that mass-produced items cannot replicate.

Each bucket is made exclusively from Sawara cypress aged over 300 years, sourced from the Kiso region. These premium woods are chosen for their straight grain, resistance to warping, smooth texture, and natural antimicrobial and moisture-resistant properties.

A wine cooler born from Japanese tradition
In the 1990s, when wine began gaining popularity in Japanese homes, OKE-EI received a special request: to create a wooden wine cooler using traditional Yui-oke methods. The result was a vessel that brings out the best of Japanese woodcraft — superior insulation, timeless design, and a gentle aroma of fresh wood.

Sized for a standard wine bottle or a 720 ml sake bottle, this cooler showcases the natural grain of unfinished wood. It has remained a best-selling classic for over 30 years, valued for both its functionality and quiet beauty.

The art of craftsmanship
Creating a single Yui-oke involves over 80 precise steps and takes a minimum of two years to complete. Mastering each stage takes over a decade — an extraordinary testament to the depth of this craft. Every cooler from OKE-EI is a lifetime piece, infused with tradition, skill, and quiet elegance.