Arya News - These hand-crafted chopstick rests bring joy in a range of ways. Placed on a small stand, they make for charming home decor. Combining them with seasonal motifs, such as hina doll displays for the Doll Festival in March or Christmas decorations, creates an eye-catching arrangement.
TOKYO – Animals, plants, musical instruments and food are among a diverse array of motifs for chopstick rests crafted from seashells and buffalo horn and with roots in Vietnam.
Each piece has its own charm due to subtle differences in color, shade and texture, depending on the material. They can also be used as interior decorations, adding warmth and color to any space.
More than 300 designs are available. The dog designs alone include a variety of breeds, such as miniature schnauzer, chihuahua and French bulldog.
These rests can bring joy in a range of ways. Placed on a small stand, they make for charming home decor. Combining them with seasonal motifs, such as hina doll displays for the Doll Festival in March or Christmas decorations, creates an eye-catching arrangement.
This arrangement is for the Doll Festival, featuring hina dolls, lanterns and other items, in a display box.
Shirochogai (mother-of-pearl shell), kurochogai (black mother-of-pearl shell) and yakogai (great green turban shell) are used extravagantly to enhance each design. Another appealing feature is how their colors and luster change depending on the angle of the light hitting their surfaces.
Their uniqueness comes from the delicate handiwork of the artisans that make them.
Pieces of shell are cut out by hand.
First, pieces of shell are cut out. Each piece is then shaped. Finally, these pieces are carefully joined together. No dyes or coatings are used. Instead, the pieces are repeatedly polished to bring out their natural sheen and luster.
“Our artisans craft each piece by hand. Making just one takes about three hours,” said Takeshi Masuda, representative of Tefu Inc., the company that manufactures and wholesales the products.
Masuda, 54, was born in Yokohama. After working at another company, Masuda joined Tefu at the age of 45. In June, he assumed the post of its representative.
Tefu creates necklaces, earrings, pins and other fashion accessories.
Tefu means “butterfly” in old-fashioned Japanese kana writing. The colors of a butterfly’s wings change depending on the light hitting them — just like Tefu’s products do.
The business originated around 2003, when Masuda’s father, the company’s founder, spotted some handicrafts from a village on the outskirts of Hanoi. The original chopstick rests were in simple shapes, such as circles and squares.
Chopstick rests placed on round stands. The stands themselves can also be used as chopstick rests.
Rather than simply importing the rests, the company designed a variety of new styles in Japan and provided the necessary machinery to a local workshop in Vietnam. The company also helped the artisans refine their skills and collaborated with them to create original crafts.
“We’ve worked together [with the artisans], aiming toward the standard of quality demanded in Japan,” Masuda said.
According to the company’s policy, entire shells are used as long as they have no cracks or chips. This means Tefu uses not just the vibrant, lustrous sections, but also those with matte textures, Masuda said.
“Some people seek a glamorous look, while others prefer a more understated elegance,” Masuda said. “We offer various products so everyone can choose something that suits their tastes.”
This product is a combination of several pieces arranged in a frame.
Fashion accessories also on offer
Tefu also creates fashion accessories such as necklaces, earrings and pins. There are about 200 different designs, including dinosaurs, butterflies, vehicles and teardrops.
“They’re smaller than chopstick rests, so they require even more advanced craftsmanship,” Masuda said.
Some rings are crafted by cutting out only the naturally formed ring sections from inside yakogai shells, while other bicolor types are made by meticulously joining two different types of shells.
Some customers attach their own clasps to chopstick rests they purchased to use them as obidome (ornamental clasps for kimono sashes) or as brooches.