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Japanese ridge beam on Washington shore

I would like to publish here a mail I received from a lasdscape designer based in Portland.

Hello Iacopo,

I’ve enjoyed your newsletters and information about your business. I thought I’d share this with you, as I begin to design a small structure using this ridge beam I extracted from the driftwood on the SE Washington shoreline yesterday. I believe it certainly is from 2011 tsunami. I’d like to honor its history and journey by giving it a renewed use, following the lines it dictates.

As I research how

it was used, I wonder if you would have a resource for me to consult that could indicate a likely representation of its position within a structure? I may have it figured out, but a few comments from a carpenter there would be quite meaningful.

Than you for any consideration and dialog.

Best,

Jon Ensign
Portland, Oregon

I am so humbled and grateful! Thanks to this homepage I have the opportunity to get in touch with amazing people who share their passion for handcrafts and for japanese culture.
Life is wonderful! 😉

For the curious, here below is my answer:
(more…)

hinoki flooring for indonesia

This time we shipped a large quantity of hinoki flooring to indonesia.
IMGP9107
The planks have a end match joint.

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We also shipped waterproofing treatment to be applied after installation.
One large can of “kihada ichiban” contains 16Kg and can cover 100m2.
The cost is 100,000JPY + packaging + shipping.
We also can sell 1L, 4L bins.

IMGP9104

Specs for the project:
– Hinoki flooring-
Origin: Kumano (Mie Pref.)
Quality: one face knotless
Cut: ITAME (plank cut)
Finish: planer finish, no coating, tongue/groove edge, end match
Sizes: W120mm x t 12mm x L 2950mm:

show your passion for bathing on the Japanese TV!

2016.7.19 UPDATE- (see at the end of the post)

Dear japan-lovers,

I just sent this email below to the mailing list. I am copying here the text for those of you who are not in the list.

How are you? It has been few months since the last mailing.

Things have been very busy and I did not manage yet to start the “bartok yukata kimonos” collection. Bear with me until september, I will provide updates in the homepage news section so keep an eye on it!

Anyway, this mail is about a different topic: I have been contacted by a TV program producer.

(see the original mail here below)

Are you interested in showing off your love for japan on the japanese TV?

Please send me a video (if you prefer you can send it directly to Japan Footage Inc. at the details below).

If you are selected… YES!

You will be invited to Japan as a guest in the TV program!

Check the details in the email here below and/or contact me for any question.

Best//

iacopo~

_________________________________________________________________________

Hello Iacopo,

I’m Senna Tateyama, from Japan Footage Inc.

Now I’m looking for Japanophiles who want to appear on a Japanese TV program “Who wants to come to Japan 世界ニッポン行きたい人応援団”.

(This is the official website: http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/nipponikitaihito/ Unfortunately, only Japanese version is available now.

Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/whowantstocometojapangp/ This one is written in English for the most part.)

I saw your home page, and was really impressed with your Hinoki Wood Japanese bathtub !

It makes me want to ask you a favor. If you know any other non-Japanese Hinoki bathtub lover like you or Hinoki bathtub international networks, could you introduce them to us?

Now we are looking for people who have never been to Japan, but with a strong passion to Japanese traditional culture.

The process of participating to our TV program is,

1. Send us a short video which shows your passion to Hinoki bathtub

2. Selection ( we have a selection meeting every week about who to invite to Japan)

3. The chosen challenger will be invited to Japan to have a special experience in the area of their interests

These are some episodes from our program.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybpQvx4ibyE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKqXTBfUiw8

We would like to feature overseas Hinoki bathtub enthusiasts.

(Please note that: We can’t guarantee that the video will be used in this program. The producers of this program will choose some out of many.)

If you’re interested in this project and have any questions about it, please contact me.

We would appreciate it if you could support and cooperate with us!

Best regards,

Senna

□■━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Senna Tateyama

Japan Footage Inc.

Visual Contents Division

8F, Ichigo Shiba-Koen Bldg. 3-12-1, Shiba, Minato-Ku, Tokyo, 105-0014 Japan

Tel：81-3-3452-2711

Fax: 81-3-3452-2722

E-mail: tateyama<at~~mark>jfkinc.jp

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━■□

This is an update about the participation to the japanese TV program.
I spoke with the TV producer: the clause “has never been to japan” is not a sine-qua-non.

What is important to qualify for the participation to the program is the “degree of your passion for japan”. (This was difficult to translate, I hope you can get the message).

They are looking for people with a “deeper interest for japan” than the average tourist.

For instace: if your dream is to become a japanese carpenter, or if you would like to become the apprentice of a pottery maker to learn his the secrets…

They are looking for people with a clear purpose rather than a “general interest about japan”

Please contact Tateyama-san and describe your passion, they will evaluate if you meet the criteria.

Best//

iacopo

sketchup Japanese bathhouse

We are planning a modern Japanese bathhouse to be placed in the garden of a victorian terraced house in London.
from-folding-doors

This is just a concept plan, the client`s local architect will deal about permits, design details etc.

It is a simple layout with outside storage, open terrace, lavatory room and bathroom.

I am proposing a “araidashi” pebble floor and a natural trunk as a kind of “daikoku bashira” free standing column at the corner. The walls are in sugi pine siding and the roof in sheet metal

open-window

A shoji-inspired window in 3 panels opens offering to the bather the preferred balance between view and privacy

look-house

The bathroom features a W1350 D 750mm knotless hinoki bathtub with copper apron and wooden dowels at the corner joint

look-tub

Accessories include a 1200 x 1400mm “sunoko” floor duckboard invisibly split in 2 panels, hinoki stool and sawara bucket

vanity

Try to look for “bartokdesign” inside the sketchup 3D warehouse if you wish to navigate the model!

sawing of massive hinoki lumber

We have 5 tubs on the “production line” and are in the last stages of the bidding for a large supply for a hotel.
It is going to be a hot summer…

Luckily, we are finding beautiful lumber from our suppliers to replenish stock.
CA3K0036

Yesterday we spent almost the full day slicing massive hinoki lumber.
As the market for traditional hinoki products (sushi counters etc.) is quite slump in Japan our grumpiest suppliers are slowly releasing their hidden treasures…
CA3K0038

hinoki products pamphlets are ready!

160513-bartok-design-panphlet-outside

160513-bartok-design-panphlet-inside

Finally we gave birth to the first Bartok design pamphlet.
Since we sell mainly outside of japan and tru the internet, until now I always procrastinated but now I will be finally able to satisfy all the requests of friends wanting to present the Bartok design tubs and accessories to trade shows, friends and clients.
There are also several hotels catering to international clientele who asked me some presentation material in the past.

If you need some pamphlets or want to promote the Bartok design products (contact iacopo torrini for details) let us know!

We have been caught in the NET… (Server problems)

160512-koinobori

Dear japan lovers community:

As you might have noticed,

our server was down on on 5/9 and 5/10 for about 20 hours.

If you contacted us by email but are not receiving an answer, please contact us again.
We have been caught in the NET…
Also, I noticed our japanese IP address has problems with some hotmail and gmail accounts.

If your messages are returned, please use the alternative address as below:
iax1213[at]gmail[dot]com

By the way, the image on the top are koi-nobori (flying carps). Did you know?
Every family displays (or used to…) this fish shaped flags in front of their house. One carp for each family member, starting from the father and mother on top and following with all the children in order of age.
The festival culminates on 5/5, a festivity dedicated to children.
The carp is a divine creature and brings good auspices to the kids as they may avoid obstacles and swim thru life in a cheerful way.
Of course the mild weather and blue skies of may are even more pleasant with these colorful ornaments which move together with the wind!

But … lets go back to work now.
For all of you who missed us (I received 3 messages on facebook) sorry again and YES, I am looking forward to working with you and remain at your disposal for any question/problem.
All the Best!
—
Bartok design Japan Co.
Manager: Iacopo Torrini
—————————-
cell.: +81-90-8205-1200
iax1213[at]gmail[dot]com
—————————-

(click on the photo below to open the related blog entry)

Survey about yukata: RESULTS

We received 26 votes thru the survey form and one via email.

Here is a summary of the results:
160322-yukata-question-a

The Yoshiwara design won with ample advantage
160322-yukata-question-b

Yes, I think we will apply the logo on the bottom corner
160322-yukata-question-c

Almost a dual match between navy and red. I think we will provide the two options for you to choose!
160322-yukata-question-d

We will develop one or two patterns of yukata bathrobe and will keep remain open to any further comment or advice you may have! All the Best//

Getting ready for the next production of special reserve oil

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In the pictures above you can see about 800 Kg. of scraps of kiso hinoki wood.
I am going to distillate this material for the second harvest of special reserve hinoki essential oil.
To my knowledge, there is no maker producing oil from 250 (and over) year old hinoki wood.
As we could experiment in the first harvest (autumn 2014) the scent is superb, less forest like and more spicy than commercial grade hinoki essential oil (usually made with 70-90 year old lumber)

Before bottling the production, I want to offer a special deal to the heavy users and commercial users.
I will sell about half of the total in 100ml bottles at 12,000 JPY (*) per bottle.or 10 bottles for 100,000 JPY (*).

(*) NOTE: this price was valid for the 2016 yield. for current prices please refer to this entry: https://bartokdesign.com/all-category/new-yield-of-hinoki-oil.php

Compare to the 4500JPY in case of the 10cc individual package bottle with drip cap!
It is almost 1/5 the price!

If interested please contact me at: japan@bartokdesign.com

Survey for new product: YUKATA ROBES

For 13 years, almost weekly I have been posed the following question:
“do you also carry yukata robes?” (The type of casual kimono you use while in your room in the ryokan or after taking a plunge in a onsen).

In a world regurgitating with products…, I just though it was best for me to concentrate on one I was able to fully design and develop: custom made japanese ofuro.
I was honored to have been recognized and trusted by thousands as an ambassador of the japanese style bathing and I was comfortable in my niche.

But things are going to change.

While living in Japan, I have a privileged communication channel with a wide community of japan-lovers around the globe: this circumstance is not only bless but also a responsibility.

I feel more and more like I have a moral obligation to exit my comfort zone and provide more value to all of you who are trying to graft a slice of japan into your lives.
For this reason, I decided to start a new product line: wear.

Of course the first product of the list will be the long awaited yukata robes.
And I will need your help.
To provide the type of yukata you are looking for, I will need your opinion: the selection I will propose will be based on the survey below.
I will be grateful if you will share with me your thoughts!
It is a simple google survey consisting of 3 main and 3 sub-questions and takes from 30 to 60 seconds to complete.
The survey is anonymous but I will extract 3 of you and present a brand new yukata! (I will contact the winners thru the mailing list using their nicknames)

Please refer to the photos below the survey box. Thank you in advance for your time and precious advice!
NOTE: Feel free to repeat the survey to record the opinionof your family members as well!

(please fill in the survey in the box above)