Stories of “Craftsmen”
Yoichiro Shimokawa
I AM FACING “THE TRUE BINCHOTAN” SINCERELY
IN THE MOUNTAINS AND KILNS EVERY DAY.
In order to make better products, I am repeating failures and improvements.
There are many processes for creating Hyuga Binchotan. Operations in the mountain and preparation steps before firing a kiln are bold, while work in the kiln that handling fire are very precise. By doing such work every day, I try mastering the skill of producing Hyuga Binchotan, which is a perpetual challenge.
Now is the time that AI is versatile, and personnel rationalization is promoted. Meanwhile, the flow of time about Binchotan is very opposite against the nowadays. Binchotan is the wonderful tradition of Japan.
It is impossible to auto-machines to cut the trees, and any process of making charcoal in the kiln is not the same as it is affected by the change of seasons.
Climbing steep mountainside and cut the Japanese blue oak trees, which is the material of the Hyuga Binchotan, by operating chainsaw by hand. Burning the trees in the earthen kiln for more than 30 days to make charcoal…
These processes of making Hyuga Binchotan seem like old-fashioned and inefficient.
However, as I’ve been working in this cycle, I noticed that this environment of "Satoyama", where people and nature co-exist, was created in the long-time connection between forest and human.
Indeed, to protect this environment, the present method of producing Hyuga Binchotan is very necessary way.
We offer a fine charcoal that is produced by human hands and using all five senses. We hope that Hyuga Binchotan adds a colors to your "Food", and it will be one of a trigger of heart-warming life even though charcoal cannot be a main dish.
Stories of other craftsmen are coming soon.
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