{"product_id":"single-handled-wooden-pail-okeei-katateoke","title":"Katate-oke Wooden Bath Pail","description":"\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.4); margin: 0 0 20px;\"\u003eKatate-oke · Yuioke · OKE-EI, Fukagawa, Tokyo\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"list-style: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin-bottom: 32px;\"\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"display: flex; align-items: baseline; gap: 16px; padding: 13px 0; border-bottom: 0.5px solid rgba(2,9,18,0.1);\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.12em; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.25); min-width: 20px;\"\u003e01\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.75);\"\u003eA single-handled wooden pail — a form that only traditional yuioke techniques can make\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"display: flex; align-items: baseline; gap: 16px; padding: 13px 0; border-bottom: 0.5px solid rgba(2,9,18,0.1);\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.12em; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.25); min-width: 20px;\"\u003e02\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.75);\"\u003eMade solely from akata, the dense red heartwood of old-growth timber, naturally rich in aromatic oils\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"display: flex; align-items: baseline; gap: 16px; padding: 13px 0;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.12em; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.25); min-width: 20px;\"\u003e03\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.75);\"\u003eSlim German silver hoops — strong, and resistant to rust and discoloration\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin: 0 0 32px;\"\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/83UUSk6JaxY?showinfo=0\u0026amp;playsinline=1\u0026amp;mute=1\u0026amp;modestbranding=1\u0026amp;rel=0\u0026amp;loop=1\u0026amp;playlist=83UUSk6JaxY\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" style=\"width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 16\/9; height: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.85); margin: 0 0 8px;\"\u003eA single-handled pail, made only by hand\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.9; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.75); margin: 0 0 16px;\"\u003eA katate-oke is a single-handled wooden pail. Its form can only be achieved with traditional yuioke techniques — thin wooden staves joined by hand and bound with hoops — so it is almost never found in ordinary shops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.9; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.75); margin: 0 0 16px;\"\u003eIn Japan, the katate-oke is a bath tool. It is used to scoop warm water from the tub and pour it over the body — part of the Japanese custom of rinsing off before stepping into the bath. The wood's natural oils and water resistance suit it to daily use in a wet bathroom, and its mellow fragrance rises with the warmth of the water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.9; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.75); margin: 0 0 16px;\"\u003eOKE-EI makes it solely from akata, the finest part of high-age timber from Japan's national forests: the red heartwood. Its growth rings are tightly packed and it holds a high proportion of natural oils, which give it antibacterial properties, water resistance, a mellow fragrance, a soft feel to the touch, and the ability to shed water cleanly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.9; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.75); margin: 0 0 16px;\"\u003eThe hoops are German silver, an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc long used for cutlery and other tableware. It is strong and resists rust and discoloration. Made slim yet thick, the hoops give the pail a clean, sharp outline — an OKE-EI original.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0 0 4px;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0018\/1878\/7915\/files\/240212-1095.png?v=1738315959\" alt=\"The pure grain of OKE-EI yuioke woodwork\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.65); margin: 0 0 24px; text-align: right;\"\u003eThe pure grain of OKE-EI yuioke\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.85); margin: 0 0 8px;\"\u003e\"I believe I am the only person still making these in Tokyo.\"\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.9; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.75); margin: 0 0 16px;\"\u003eOKE-EI has continued the tradition of Edo-style yuioke — Japanese wooden vessels made from joined staves — in Fukagawa, Tokyo, for generations. The fourth-generation craftsman, Eifu Kawamata, is the final master to inherit these techniques at their highest level. In 2025, the techniques he holds were registered as an Intangible Cultural Property (woodworking) of Koto City, Tokyo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.9; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.75); margin: 0 0 16px;\"\u003eThe yuioke technique was established in Japan nearly 700 years ago. Thin wooden staves are arranged and bound with hoops — a form that has remained unchanged for centuries. Polished without paint or coating, the grain reads as something living rather than manufactured. The Fukagawa district where OKE-EI is based was once lined with hundreds of timber merchants; crossing the Eitai Bridge, the smell of wood filled the air. That world is largely gone, but OKE-EI remains.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.85); margin: 0 0 8px;\"\u003e80 steps, two years, ten years to master each stage\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.9; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.75); margin: 0 0 16px;\"\u003eYuioke-making is one of the most complex traditional crafts in Japan. From log preparation to completion, the process involves approximately 80 steps, and each piece requires at least two years to finish. Mastering every stage takes about ten years — a rarity that speaks to the depth of this skill.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0 0 4px;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0018\/1878\/7915\/files\/a87d3263deb20a59336d42b34f17df7f.jpg?v=1738315537\" alt=\"The making of yuioke — a craft of exceptional precision\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0 0 4px;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0018\/1878\/7915\/files\/2_48489fe4-16d0-4a04-b530-df50c2cf8544.png?v=1738549022\" alt=\"The many tools of yuioke-making\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.65); margin: 0 0 24px; text-align: right;\"\u003eThe many tools of yuioke-making\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.55); font-style: italic; display: block; padding: 16px 0 16px 20px; border-left: 2px solid rgba(2,9,18,0.15); margin: 0 0 24px;\"\u003e\"The essence of traditional yuioke is the joining of wood to wood — a precision that no factory process can replicate.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.08em; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.4); margin-top: 12px; display: block;\"\u003e— Eifu Kawamata, fourth-generation master, OKE-EI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border-top: 1px solid rgba(2,9,18,0.1); padding-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.4); margin: 0 0 12px;\"\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.65); margin: 0;\"\u003eØ 5.9 × H 15.6 in (150 × 395 mm)\u003cbr\u003eMaterial: Sawara cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera), akata heartwood · German silver hoops\u003cbr\u003eFinish: Uncoated · polished\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border-top: 1px solid rgba(2,9,18,0.1); padding-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.4); margin: 0 0 12px;\"\u003eShipping\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.65); margin: 0;\"\u003eShips within 1 month · Shipping cost included in price\u003cbr\u003eIf stock is not immediately available, this piece is made to order and will ship within a few months. To confirm lead time before ordering, please contact us via chat or the inquiry form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border-top: 1px solid rgba(2,9,18,0.1); padding-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.4); margin: 0 0 12px;\"\u003eHow to Use\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.65); margin: 0;\"\u003eRinse with water or lukewarm water before each use — this helps prevent stains and water marks from forming on the wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border-top: 1px solid rgba(2,9,18,0.1); padding-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.4); margin: 0 0 12px;\"\u003eCare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.65); margin: 0;\"\u003eWash with water or lukewarm water, using a loofah or dish cloth. Abrasive powder or soap may be used; dullness on the metal hoops can also be polished away with abrasive powder.\u003cbr\u003eWipe off water droplets with a dry cloth, then lay the pail on its side to air dry in a well-ventilated place, out of direct sunlight.\u003cbr\u003eAllow it to dry fully — about 24 hours — before using it again. The surface dries quickly, but the inside of the wood may still hold water.\u003cbr\u003eDepending on storage conditions, resin may seep to the surface. It can be removed with rubbing alcohol (ethanol) or fine sandpaper.\u003cbr\u003eTo store, wrap in paper and keep in a box, away from direct sunlight, humidity and excessive dryness. If the wood has shrunk noticeably from dryness or age, pouring water over it to restore some moisture can help.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border-top: 1px solid rgba(2,9,18,0.1); padding-top: 24px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.4); margin: 0 0 12px;\"\u003eNote\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgba(2,9,18,0.65); margin: 0;\"\u003eSuitable for bath-temperature water; do not use with boiling water. Do not leave it soaking in water or bath water for long periods. Not dishwasher or microwave safe.\u003cbr\u003eIf the pail becomes loose or wobbly as the wood ages, stop using it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Oke-Ei","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40955530444929,"sku":null,"price":85000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0560\/3573\/7729\/files\/2026-10-0813.55.36.png?v=1791435987","url":"https:\/\/byemotion-intl.com\/products\/single-handled-wooden-pail-okeei-katateoke","provider":"By Emotion International","version":"1.0","type":"link"}