Mind

Mind

The distinctive sensitivity and imagination of Shinro Baba, producer of Kyoto Rakuo."KYO-KARAKI" of Kyoto Rakuo, created by incomparable furniture craftsmen. What is the inspiration of that harnesses the creation of one-and- only furniture with amazing, luxurious and creativity?
Mr. Baba, who is the producer of Kyoto Rakuo, speaks about the his own roots and thoughts for Karaki furniture.

The origin of the craftsmanship is realisation of inspiration

The origin of the craftsmanship is
realisation of inspiration


My father took over the business of Shinsuke Murata, and he was a furniture and fine art dealer. He lived in a shop-cum-atelier at Ebisugawadori Tominokouji, Kyoto. I was surrounded by art work, such as antiques, lacquer ware, pottery, and gold-lacquer work since I was small. But, as is often the case with children, I was not interested in them at that time. My father brought me to the museum so often, but I don't remember much of what I saw. However, the presence of art in my childhood is the foundation of my sensibility.
After graduating university, I joined Prevell Co. Ltd.In the early thirties, I reached a turning point when I engaged in the product development of Chinese carpets. I was in charge of drawing designs for the carpet, in order to get inspiration, I looked for the motifs in the eminent places of the world in an eager manner. I went to various sites to see the wall surface decorating of Alhambra, mosaic of Mosque in Istanbul, and stained glass of Cologne Cathedral. I obtained some ideas from art collection books and illustrated books.
I conveyed my inspiration to designers whenever I found something interesting. The enjoyment I experienced when I saw the completed designs was beyond description. Sometimes, designs prepared by the designer stimulated me and expanded my ideas. I went through hardships and experienced failures, but I believe this experience was the origin of my craftsmanship.

A crisis of existence of Kyoto Rakuo and karaki Furniture How to pass on the traditional beauty and techniques.

A crisis of existence of Kyoto Rakuo and karaki Furniture
How to pass on the traditional beauty and techniques.


Kyoto Rakuo was managed by my father, under the name of "Rakuo art atelier Co. Ltd." Before the economic down turn, the sales of the furniture were strong, however, due to the change in lifestyle and housing conditions and economic down turn, it declined. Rakuo art atelier Co. Ltd. was dissolved and they had no choice but request the craftsman leave company with heavy-hearted grief.
Later, I was in charge of the Kyoto Rakuo Department, which was established in Prevell Co. Ltd. During that time, the sales of the Karaki furniture was declining sharply, and I got responses from people that they could hardly believe that our company still doing business in Karaki Furniture. I was worried about the increasing sense of danger that the Japanese art work called Karaki furniture and its inherited technique would be lost. in order to survive, I tried to produce simple furniture, and small articles such as chopsticks or broaches, however, I ended up with the thought that it did not allow me to exercise a craftsman's ability.
I was suffering a lot - "What is the essence of Kyoto Rakuo? Which way should I go to pass on the techniques and knowledge of the Karaki furniture cultivated in the atelier for a long time? What was my mission that I could perform in this company?" Then, I was given a chance to meet a fatefully important person who would change my later life drastically.

"I've never seen such a thing!" The words given by the world-renowned Toshiyuki Kita that gave me confidence.

"I've never seen such a thing!"
The words given by the world-renowned Toshiyuki Kita that gave me confidence.


While I was suffered, worrying about the direction of the company, we joined a workshop, which was held by Toshiyuki Kita, a product designer. Mr. Kita was working in the production field not only in Japan and Italy, but on a wider international scale and created a number of popular products. For the workshop, we created a desk for a study room with modern tastes inspired by a traditional writing desk.
Mr. Kita gave us advice for the design, and the completed desk received a high esteem not only from Mr. Kita but also many producers as well. Mr. Kita said "I've never seen such a thing." Mr. Kita, who is a world-renowned producer, admired the elaborate hand work and extreme precision of Kyoto Rakuo. It gave us the feeling that, once again we were making outstanding products.
The words from Mr. Kita, gave us confidence and encouragement to orient our company to create products with my sensibility and the technique of a craftsman. At the same time, I got inspiration for furniture with modern elements, which can be used anywhere such as an entrance room or a living room by adding new ideas to the essence of Karaki furniture. I found direction for new Kyoto Rakuo at last.

Interesting work to give shape to something not yet existent on this earth

KYO-KARAKI with the artworks of Kyuta Manami

Interesting work to give shape to something not yet
existent on this earth


In order for our customers to imagine the various ways to enjoy our Karaki furniture, we started to display them with art works, we found it an interesting trial for us. We came to feel that there was a greater potential for Karaki furniture. I feel that there's chemistry between Karaki furniture and modern arts, and they have compatibility to bring out the charms of each other. Sometimes we got new sensitivity or idea inspired by modern art works.
Around 4-5 years ago, I joined creative planning, by the invitation of Yuki Ikenobo. The theme of the session was "fresh verdure", I came up with an idea of a display shelf with limp and soft form. It was an image of fresh green leaves growing on trees and stretching out to the sky. I talked about my idea to experienced craftsmen, wondering whether they would agree to make the shelf in such a manner, fortunately, they told me that it was an interesting work and were surely willing to make it. Everyday, our craftsmen are utilizing their experienced skills to realize my wild imagination, and creating products with their full effort as if they are enjoying the challenge of new ideas. The craftsmanship of Kyoto Rakuo is supported by excellent craftsmen.
From now on, I'd like to fuse various things, such as tradition and modernistic ways, Japanese and Western styles, furniture and art, and give shape to something not yet existent on this earth, never seen before, and fascinating. I like to develop the world of Karaki furniture that can be achieved only for Kyoto Rakuo.


Shinro Baba

Shinro Baba

Producer of Kyoto Rakuo
Executive director, Prevell Co. Ltd.

Mr.Saburo Murata, was the founder of "Kinshin Kyoto (Present Prevell Co. Ltd.)", and was Mr. Shinro Baba's father. Mr. Baba grew up surrounded by art works, antiques, and furnitures. After he graduated Doshisha University, he joined Prevell Co. Ltd. When he was in his early thirties, he experienced to develop the original Chinese carpet. It became the origin of his craftsmanship.
He is charge of the Karaki furniture in Business department of Kyoto Rakuo. With the change of the times, the demand for the Karaki furniture is declining, however as his mission, he decided to protect the craftsman's technique and knowledge inherited the atelier, resource of Kyoto Rakuo and make the most out of it. He is engaging in planning, design, manufacturing and sales of "KYO-KARAKI" with the new imagination and excellent technique of craftsman. Usin his own sensitivity and imagination, he combines the classical and modern, east and west, furniture and art. He is producing the world of Karaki furniture only can be achieved by Kyoto Rakuo, which stimulate the sensitivity of the people who look their shaping and existence.


Senji Nagasawa

Senji Nagasawa

Craftsman

He joined in 1963, when he was 15 years old. There was no machine in the atelier. He is in the last generation who experienced all process by hand craft in an old-fashioned manner and he is mostly in charge of classical art works. As he is a well-experienced craftsman, he is servings as other craftsman's moral support. He is good at sculpture, and he can express precisely any kind of form, such as, beautiful and delicate classical motifs like flower, bird, wind and moon, and lively living things, and minutely reproduced plants in details. He is really likes to do sculpture, so when he went home from atelier, he still sculpture in his home. He is seeking for the more and more elaborated technique.

Takamichi Hara

Takamichi Hara

Craftsman

He joined in 1969, when he was 18 years old. The head of atelier during that time found his ability, and left him whole process just after he joined, due to his intuition and excellent technique. He created a lot of works with utilizing the traditional technique of atelier. Though he has pride as Karaki furniture craftsman, he is challenging the unique design, combination of the various material with fresh feeling. He is responding the request from Mr. Baba what he likes to make, and proposed him idea and technique from the view of craftsman. He is supporting the change of new Kyoto Rakuo.

Fujio Nakajima

Fujio Nakajima

Craftsman

He joined in 1970, when he was 15 years old. He is good at delicate art works utilizing the traditional technique and round-shaped design. In order to express curve lines, it is required high level skill for curving from thick wood and tenoning on the narrow and thin parts, and creating the beautiful form with elaborated craftsmanship. Mr. baba and other craftsman acknowledge his delicate and precise technique. He also created art works with playful mind such as display shelf expressing Mt. Fuji by delicate curved shapes and designing animals of Japanese zodiac with his unique sense.

Akihito Morishima

Akihito Morishima

Craftsman

He joined in 2016, when he was 22 years old. After he learned the basic knowledge of cabinetwork (Sashimono) in Traditional Arts Super College Of Kyoto(TASK), he knew about Karaki furniture and decided to be a craftsman. By surrounded by high quality products as art works, he was given an opportunity to see up close an excellent technique and production process and he is learning the technique and knowledge of the senior craftsman. He is feeling that he needs to pass them to the next generation as his mission. He was taught techniques by three senior craftsman respectively, the essence of each craftsman's expertise skill, and he grew a lot to do whole process by himself. He is trying his best to create works utilizing his sensitivity and passion, which are peculiar to young craftsman.

Our thoughts in the signature of vermilion lacquer

Our thoughts in the signature of vermilion lacquer


Kyoto Rakuo is striving for new designs, while placing value on passing down traditional techniques. For the curves and delicate forms of our products, we use the "carving" method, which requires high level skill, labour and materials, and avoiding the bending method. Further, we adopt the method known as: "traditional mortise and tenon", which requires a complicated and precise processing technique; "Polishing", which has ten stages of work; and "wiped-Japanese lacquer", which repaints Japanese lacquer for about eight-nine times.

It is often said that the wood products can be used for the same amount of years as the age of the tree. However, it can maintain a high quality if the craftsman made the most of the valuable wood in the production process and never forgets to perform maintenance for the wood products. In order to keep the art work's original beauty for a hundred years later, not even single process can be disregarded, no matter how time-consuming the process is. Since long ago, craftsman signed on the products of KYO-KARAKI product of Kyoto Rakuo with vermilion lacquer.

It expresses the pride of the craftsmen to show "as long as we live, we will be responsible for the works", and also the determination of sharing the traditional techniques through his art work for the craftsman in the next generation, who will perform the maintenance on the work in few hundred years that follow.

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