Combs Made from Optimal Boxwood for Combs

First, can you tell us about the history of boxwood combs?

Boxwood combs are combs made from the boxwood tree.
The history of combs is incredibly old, with some unearthed from Jomon period ruins in Japan. Additionally, horizontal combs, similar to what we use today, are said to have come from the continent. As these combs made their way to Japan, the boxwood tree was chosen because it was found to be the best material for combs.

Good combs have certain characteristics. Firstly, the smooth touch when held, which relies heavily on the material’s density. Additionally, a certain level of hardness and flexibility allows for thorough polishing of the comb's teeth. This elasticity contributes to the comb’s durability.
These factors ensure the comb glides smoothly through hair and is gentle on the scalp.

If unsuitable wood is used for combs, it can harm the scalp, break easily, or create a poor combing experience.
In Japan, boxwood was a material that met these conditions. While boxwood is common as a garden tree, high-quality boxwood suitable for combs can only be obtained from certain regions in Japan.

At Jyusanya, we use Satsuma boxwood from Kagoshima Prefecture. This boxwood is grown in challenging conditions near the sea with acidic soil and the Kuroshio Current, with added alkaline lime to improve growth.

The history of boxwood combs is also ancient. According to a professor at the University of Tokyo, a friend of my father, boxwood combs have been excavated from wells dating back to the Nara period. This suggests that boxwood combs existed at least 1300 years ago.

In ancient times, boxwood combs were used for rituals. It was during the Edo period that common people also started using them, and the types of boxwood combs dramatically increased. During the Edo period, the culture of "Japanese hairstyles" emerged among the common people, leading to a high demand for combs to arrange these hairstyles. Many types of Japanese hairstyles existed, each requiring different kinds of combs tailored to their respective styles.

In the Edo period, there were three main regions for producing high-quality, professional boxwood combs. Due to underdeveloped transportation and logistics, production concentrated in these three areas based on geographical considerations.

First, on the western side of Japan, across Lake Biwa, Osaka flourished as a production area. Moving east from Lake Biwa towards the Hakone area, Kiso Yabuhara (Nagano) was the next hub. Finally, from east of the Hakone mountains to northern Japan, Edo (now Tokyo) was the main production and supply area for combs.

Combs from Osaka feature a shape with angled shoulders resembling an anchor, while those from Tokyo have a rounded form. Combs from Nagano have a shape between the two.

In Tokyo, to avoid wasting any part of the board, it’s cut larger with the unusable knot portions removed later, resulting in a rounded finish for the combs.