THE HISTORY OF KAMAKURABORI 

During the Kamakura Period (1192-1333), with the migration of Zen Buddhism to Japan came many kinds of art and crafts from China, and particularly, plates and bowls and incense boxes created using a technique known as "Tsuishu." These intricately carved wooden pieces were lacquered with many coats of raw tree sap and were highly prized for their beauty and their durability. Buddhists monks of the period attempted to duplicate the technique by carving and lacquering Japanese wood plates and bowls and through their efforts, the art of Kamakurabori was born.

Many of Japan's greatest artistic and architectural masterpieces were created during the Muromachi Period (1338-1573). Some of these include the large incense containers which can be found at Buddhist temples located in Kyoto, an ink stone desk decorated with lions, peonies, and monkeys at the Kamakura Museum of National Treasure , and beautifully designed camellia flowers carved onto carrier boxes in collections housed at Chuson-ji and Jigen-ji.
The words "Kamakura mono," literally, "things made in  Kamakura," appeared for the first time in a diary written by Sanetaka, an imperial court noble of the time. This is, perhaps, the first time this term was used to describe this beautiful art form.

During the Edo Period (1603-1867), the tea ceremony reached a zenith in popularity among the Japanese aristocracy, and along with that, the need for all the utensils and items associated with that pastime. Highly stylized and elaborately decorated Kamakurabori was highly valued and references to it can even be found in textbooks of the day. Toward the end of the Edo Period,
however, tastes began to move toward more understated motifs, as expressed in the words "wabi" and "sabi," which conjure up Zen-like, ethereal images of perfection, tranquility, and wistfulness. It can be said Kamakurabori changed the esthetic sensibilities of an era.

During the Meiji Period (1868-1925), the government of Japan carried out a policy promoting Shinto beliefs; a religion devoted to nature worship, and attempted to abolish Buddhism by destroying many of the religious icons and temples venerating that religion. As a result, many of the traditional craftsmen of the day lost their jobs.
In contrast, however, two artisan families, the Mitsuhashi and the Gotoh, both devoted to the perpetuation of Kamakurabori, survived and even prospered by adapting their ancient craft from the creation of religious icons to the production of more practical, daily use and decorative items we know today. Their ingenuity and perseverance preserved the Kamakurabori tradition for future generations.

In modern times, people have shown a renewed appreciation for things traditional, practical and beautiful, and in an era of mass produced items, Kamakurabori stands out as a functional and aesthetically pleasing alternative to the never-ending supply of mundane and generic products on sale in stores today.
In recent years, there has been a rebirth in interest in ancient crafts among Japanese consumers and in 1979, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry designated the City of Kamakura as a Traditional Handicraft Industrial Zone. Today, practitioners of Kamakurabori continue to promote their art form and actively maintain the traditions of the ancient craft.