Mind-Blowing Bamboo Weaving： Megumi Creates a Unique Chair by Hand

While learning Kyoto bamboo production, Megumi also focuses on bamboo weaving. This is one of her pieces. The base of the basket uses a technique called sixth insert. A hexagonal base is made, and bamboo strips are inserted and woven into it, creating a beautiful geometric pattern. The body of the basket is woven in a circular pattern starting from the center. Here's another piece made of bamboo. A skirt, applying the same circular weaving method. The weave is loosened toward the hem to create a soft, airy shape. Yatarami is also used in the forest basket shown earlier. It's a method based on hexagonal weaving. It produces lightweight and durable pieces, making it popular for baskets and similar items. The charm of Yatarami lies in its irregular, interwoven beauty. Megumi has mastered many variations of this technique. Lately, she's been working more on lighting and wall decor. She has even received offers from the fashion industry. This top was created in collaboration with a world-renowned fashion designer. She discovered new possibilities for bamboo. She has also woven shoes on commission from overseas. This is a long bench she made previously, drawing from experience handling many challenging projects. She now takes on the challenge of creating a single seat chair. The material she selected is shiratake, white bamboo. Usually, she uses soft bamboo that's had oil removed by boiling, which is easier to weave. But this time, the material is harder, sturdier, and more springy, increasing the difficulty. She uses two 2-meter pieces of white bamboo per chair. First comes making the bamboo strips, higo. She begins splitting the bamboo with a hatchet. But the hardness of Kyoto bamboo makes it behave differently than usual. It's thick, with tough fibers. Even inserting the wedge to split it requires force. She then splits the bamboo further until the strips are 9 millimeters wide. Spelled with a kanji for shave, hegi means thinning the strips. She divides them in half again and again, gradually shaving the bamboo's outer skin side thinner. There's a specific reason for this. She finishes preparing 60 strips at 1.5 millimeters thickness for the chair. Then, she passes them through a small knife to make the widths uniform. The width of the yatarami is determined by the number of stitches you make. So why did she decide on 9 millimeters? Thanks to her experience, she can visualize the best dimensions for the finished product. As the width of the yatarami is determined by the number of stitches you make, she can visualize the best dimensions for the finished product. So why did she decide on 9 millimeters? Thanks to her experience, she can visualize the best dimensions for the finished product. As the bamboo still has splinters, she rounds the edges. She presses a small knife crosswise into a log. She also scrapes off the ridge marks on the back of the strips with a knife. All these accumulated steps have a big impact on the weaving process and ultimately determine the quality of the finished piece. The higo preparation is now complete. It's mid-November in Gion, with winter approaching. Megumi tends to the Inu-Yurai bamboo fences. It develops a different look after maintenance. With care, the Inu-Yurai regains its beauty. She doesn't mind handling cold water in the winter chill. Back in the workshop, she resumes work on the Kyoto bamboo chair. She now begins making the base frame. One of the key steps is bending the bamboo. She carefully times the bend using a low flame to avoid scorching. Hard Kyoto bamboo doesn't soften easily. Once the right moment comes, she applies force without hesitation. Because of its strong springiness, it's hard to keep the bent shape. She fixes the shape by cooling it with water. She finishes preparing enough bamboo to build the frame for one chair. She then assembles the parts, checking the balance as she goes. Once the shape is set, she fastens it with copper wire. The result is a rounded square frame. Now comes the part Megumi excels at. Yatarami. She starts by weaving a hexagon. This forms the base of the Yatarami. Once the shape is formed, she fits it over the frame. She presses down with her hands as she weaves. Since the springy Kyoto bamboo resists movement, that same springiness will later help support body weight. Weaving one strip at a time, she proceeds carefully. There's a knack to threading the strips. Corners are especially challenging. The curved sections tend to bulge outward. While controlling the springiness, she also avoids tightening too much. She weaves while balancing these opposing forces. Once the weaving is complete, she finishes the legs. She attaches inner and outer frames to the bottom. She then fills the gaps with a special element. Sasara are finely split bamboo brushes. Their fine fibers can flex into any shape. She uses them to fill gaps along the curves. Megumi skillfully positions the bamboo nodes, so the chair still looks beautiful even when turned over. This is her first attempt at a chair using Kyoto bamboo, a precious material. Yatarami allows strength with minimal materials. Megumi has discovered a new potential in Kyoto bamboo. She shows the finished chair to 4th Gen Yokoyama. I can see that. It's beautiful. Can I sit here? Yes. It's nice. The height is just right. And the elasticity of the bamboo. I think this is the one I can feel the most. That's right. It's nice. There's a cushion in the middle. Using Kyoto bamboo is part of our tradition. I want to continue using it. That's great. Protecting the tradition of Kyoto bamboo. And boldly taking on the challenges of intricate bamboo weaving. A young artisan opens the door to tomorrow with her own hands. There are many opportunities to make something big, so I want to learn how to make something big. There are many requests, so I want to learn how to make something popular. Drawn to the beauty of bamboo, Megumi pioneers both the tradition and new potential of Kyoto bamboo. Her gaze is steady and straight, just like bamboo, as she looks toward the future. Opening the door to tomorrow. One step closer to her dream.