私は合気道初心者で、試合のための杖と木刀を探していました。私は日頃から日本(出来れば近畿地方)の地方産業を支援したいと思っていました。私は大阪と東山堂(京都)のお店をすすめられました。東山堂は、私が欲しかった物が全部入ったセットを売っていたことと、試合までに用意できるとのことだったので、そこで買うことにしました。注文を進めていくうちに、私が思いもしなかったことですが、材木の種類、名前を彫るときの字体、位置、またカバーの色を選択でき、細部にまでこだわっている様子が随所に伝わってきました。私も演奏家として、楽器の素材や質にはこだわり続けてきているので、彼らの仕事への情熱を通じて、東山堂への確固たる信頼と安心感を得ることが出来ました。商品が届いた後、私は担当者の佐藤氏に感謝の意を伝えつつ、更に細かく商品について尋ねるために連絡することにしました。また、宮崎の伝統工芸士が、丹精込めて私の木刀と杖を作って下さったことを知りました。ただでさえ、私の名前は紙の上でも読みづらいのに、まして丸い木の棒の端に書くことが、いかに難しいか想像も出来ないでしょう。
English Version:
With an Aikido tournament fast approaching, I recently had the pleasure of purchasing my first Aikido set. The set consisted of a bokuto (wooden sword) and jou (short staff).
As a big supporter of local business, I was determined to have a set made in Japan and
was encouraged to explore a few businesses in Osaka and Tozando, in Kyoto. Thankfully, Tozando had a special promotion and guaranteed expedient shipping, with a solid arrival date, just in time for the impending tournament.
As an instrumentalist who has spent many years and dollars/yen selecting woods and finishes, I knew that expert advice would be required, to ensure optimal performance. With that, I phoned Tozando and was assisted by Mr.Sato, an incredibly knowledgeable associate. I was presented with options (the type of wood, engraving, bag, etc.), recommendations, and even information about the craftsman who was to create my set. Overall, communication was smooth and enjoyable — I highly recommend this shop!
I learned that a master craftsman in Miyazaki prefercture would be making my order. I had the option for engraving my name on both the wood and the bag but given that my Kanji is hardly legible on paper, I didn't think I would have much luck trying to write my name on the bottom of anything.
To my surprise, the order arrived sooner than initially expected, with an amazing level of craftsmanship. The white oak and wood engraving were simply beautiful. The symmetry is perfect, the edges are evenly sanded, and care has clearly been taken in the choice of grain, in regards to the shaping. This set is clearly the craftsmanship of an expert.