Jewelry and History of Takamo
Takamo jewelry is carefully crafted one by one by a young Japanese craftsman together with his father. Using traditional Japanese techniques, Takamo jewelry is a one-of-a-kind combination of natural wood and metal. They are very simple and understated, yet have a refined elegance and beauty that evokes the "Wabi-Sabi" of Japan.
*Wabi-Sabi is a term that describes the unique Japanese sense of beauty that finds beauty in simplicity and the passage of time.
What Takamo is
Located in Kagawa Prefecture, the site of the internationally renowned Setouchi International Art Festival, Takahashi Woodworks is a jewelry brand founded by fourth-generation Japanese woodworker Tadato Takahashi with the desire to preserve traditional Japanese woodworking techniques for future generations.
Takamo jewelry is made from special, high-quality wood with distinctive color and grain. They are not just traditional handicrafts, but fashionable items. They are produced with all their hearts so that you will be pleased when you hold them in your hands.
The concept of Takamo is "wood grain × detailed. The colors of the wood are used as they are, and the unique texture of natural wood is emphasized.
No coloring agents are used, and the oil finish enhances the grain and color of the wood. Feel the warm texture of the wood in the sophisticated design.
Based on the core items of earrings, rings, necklaces, and bracelets, which are understated yet fully expressive of individuality, we are pursuing a new way of jewelry that enriches your life with wood.
History of Takamo
Founded in 1971 as a fixture store, Takahashi Woodworking Co., Ltd. has been making various fixtures using the technique of Kumiko. One day, the company's Kumiko technique caught the eye of a person involved in the Buddhist altar industry, and the company entered the Buddhist altar industry. Butsudan (Buddhist altars) were originally considered altars to enshrine ancestors, but now they have become places for ancestors' souls to return to and pray. Butsudan, which used to be a part of Japanese people's lives, have become more compact and modern in design in recent years, and the skills of traditional craftsmen are becoming obsolete.
In fact, Takahashi Woodworking was planning to close its business in Yuito's father's generation.
When Yuito learned of this, he thought that he could make jewelry more accessible to a wider audience by applying the techniques for manufacturing fixtures and Buddhist altars that have been passed down from generation to generation to jewelry. Yuito decided to take over the traditional techniques that Takahashi Woodwork Co. The result is Takamo. Yuito's university studies in architecture were also put to good use in the creation of Takamo's jewelry.
All jewelry is made from a combination of natural wood and metal, with an eye toward everyday use, and is designed for both casual and formal occasions.
The Message from Craftsman “Yuito”
His mission is to spread Takamo to the world and pass down the techniques to the next generation.
Through the jewelry that can be made with his meticulous skills, he hopes to bring wood and traditional Japanese techniques into people's daily lives and have them enjoy them in a familiar way.
Just as a home-cooked meal prepared with all your heart tastes good, and a handwritten letter touches your heart, Takamo's jewelry is carefully made one by one by the hands of our craftsmen, albeit inefficiently and in small batches. We hope that they will become items that you will use for a long time.
Find your own favorite jewelry from Japan, where tradition and modernity are in harmony.