Yoshinobu Shibata, master of Magewappa making

Yoshinobu Shibata, at the age of 75, a reviver of the lost functional art, Magewappa bento box making.  He's been creating the impressive wood pieces of Magewappa for more than half a century.

The trigger was that one day, he saw an old Magewappa box in a museum and was deeply impressed with its beauty.  It was a lost art and there was no one making it.  But its beauty so deeply reached him that he decided to stop his career and become dedicated to its revival.

Yoshinobu Shibata with some of his pieces

He learned by teaching himself by reading ancient books and experimenting over and over.  Not just restoring the technique, he has been further evolving it.

The main business operation has been taken over by his son, Yoshimasa, but he is still active in his creation and he comes up with the new ideas of Magewappa items.

Japan Society

We are honored to announce that we are now a merchant partner of Japan Society in New York!  

Japan Society is a non-profit organization that has been contributing to the mutual understanding between Japan and the United States for over a century since its founding in 1907.  It has been providing the finest quality of exhibitions of Japanese arts, dance and music performances, language education and more, as well as being used as a neutral forum for current affairs discussion.

© Japan Society

The activities by Japan Society are impressive: there are more than 100 contemporary and traditional events offered each year.  I would say that it is a rare and unique place that you can experience genuine Japanese culture in the U.S..  I highly value their role in society and sincerely feel honored to be their partner.

You can find more about Sumika Crafts and Japan Society on their website.