Kurikyu, established 150 years ago, is a long-established manufacturer of "Odate bent-wood", a specialty of Akita Prefecture.
Originally bent-wappa started as lunch boxes for lumberjacks, but in Odate, 400 years ago, the Kubota clan encouraged warriors to use the abundant forest resources to make bent-wappa as a domestic occupation, and it developed.
Later, the crafts were passed down to artisans, who refined their skills. As a result, "Odate bent-wood" is the only bent-wood craft designated by the national government as a traditional handicraft.
Kurikyu, in particular, uses the techniques and jig tools cultivated in kabazaiku (wild cherry bark work) to create one-of-a-kind products, and continues to create products that match the needs of modern life.