Craft Works
The Collection
Bamboo teaches us resilience — it bends with the storm yet never breaks. In every strand we weave, these qualities flow into the finished piece.
Bamboo is the world's fastest-growing plant, yet it demands patience from the craftsman. We harvest only at the peak of maturity, when strength and flexibility reach perfect balance. Each stalk carries the memory of season, soil, and rain.
We do not pursue flawlessness — we pursue authenticity. Small variations in color and texture are not defects; they are signatures of the material's living origin. No two pieces are identical, and that is precisely the point.
Every fragment of bamboo finds purpose. Offcuts become tea stirrers, shavings become kindling for the workshop kiln. The philosophy of mottainai — a deep reverence against waste — governs every decision at TAKE.
Nestled in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto, our atelier occupies a restored machiya townhouse from the Meiji era. The building itself breathes history — every beam has witnessed the rhythm of craft across generations.
Five stages of transformation — each one an act of devotion to the material and the tradition.
Selected at lunar peak, cut at precisely the right height from the grove floor.
Slow-cured for 60–90 days in our Kyoto yard to develop natural patina.
Hand-split into precise widths using traditional warigo knives, no machines.
Plaited using over 200 documented Japanese patterns, some centuries old.
Oiled with tsubaki camellia oil, signed, and catalogued with provenance.
Master Kenji Yamamoto began his apprenticeship under his grandfather at the age of twelve. Today, the Yamamoto lineage is recognised by the Agency for Cultural Affairs as a Living National Treasure candidate in traditional bamboo art.
Meet the Master"Bamboo does not ask to be beautiful. It simply is — and in that, it teaches us everything about craft."
— Kenji Yamamoto, Master Craftsman
Every commission is a conversation. Tell us about the space, the intention, and the feeling you seek. We will respond within five working days to discuss possibilities.