The Artisan Behind the Edo-bitsu: A Cooper Who Brings Out the Ultimate Flavor of Rice.

Kawamata's workshop is in Fukagawa, a 'shitamachi' (downtown) area of Koto Ward where the spirit of 'monozukuri' (craftsmanship) is still alive. The business was founded in 1887. After the Meiji Restoration, the first-generation master, Shin'emon Kawamata, started his cooperage here, a place perfect for sourcing high-quality wood thanks to its proximity to Kiba, a well-known lumber town.

In those days, wooden buckets ('kioke') were used for everything, from bathtubs and sushi tubs ('sushi-oke') to rice containers ('hitsu'). Okeei specialized in the 'Edo-bitsu,' a rice container with a round lid slightly larger than the body. Of all the different kinds of wooden buckets, it is the one that demands the most skill.

"A regular bucket is made by fitting a round bottom plate into a groove in the side staves and securing it with hoops ('taga'), so it won't leak water even if it's slightly distorted. However, the 'Edo-bitsu' has a structure where a lid fits over the top. Any distortion means the lid won't fit, so it requires the skill to create a perfect circle so that the lid and body join without any gaps."

Okeei's 'Edo-bitsu' are beloved everywhere, from high-end 'ryotei' restaurants to everyday homes. Made from 'sawara' cypress, a member of the cypress family, the 'Edo-bitsu' is said to make rice more delicious just by storing it inside.

"When you transfer freshly cooked rice to an 'Edo-bitsu,' it adjusts the moisture level and lets the temperature settle, resulting in a delicious finish. The rice stays tasty even after time passes. It also has natural properties that preserve freshness, such as being antibacterial and mold-resistant."

Rice is indispensable to the Japanese people—it was once even circulated as currency. As a celebrated artisan of the 'Edo-bitsu,' a vessel that draws out the 'umami' of this precious grain, Kawamata has dedicated himself to passing down his craft.

"We have continued using the same materials and techniques since the Edo period, so we call our craft 'Edo yuo-ke' (Edo cooperage), a term that has become archaic now. Furthermore, the kanji character '結' (yui/musubi) also holds the meaning of 'musuhi'—the divine power of creation and formation—as mentioned in the '古事記.' This word is filled with my pride as a 'yuo-keshi' (cooper)."