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Rush Grass Bottle Basket - Large
$79
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Scroll downMade in Kurashiki City, Okayama prefecture, a region know for its rush grass production. This bottle bag is perfect for carrying wine, sake or even filling with bigger vegetables like potatoes and onions from the market. Each one is woven by hand using traditional techniques passed down through generations.
Details
Size: Approx. W100mm x D100mm x H500 mm
Rush grass
Weight: 65g
Perfect size for a 750ml - 1500ml wine bottle, 1.8L sake bottles or your water bottle.
Similar to a tatami mat, the colour will change and develop over time and become more brown.
Story
When Tara was recently in Japan, she set out to track down these bottle carriers. Partly because she loves wine and thought they were a great way to carry a bottle, but also because they re perfect for bringing wine to a party, BBQ, or giving as a gift.
Her search eventually led her to a suburb north of Kyoto, where she found a small showroom selling them. It turned into quite an interesting little business adventure, but in the end she bought as many as they had and arranged to ship them back home-keeping one for herself, of course.
Founded in 1886 in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture (an area famous for its rush grass and rich weaving heritage), Sunami Toru Shoten began by crafting traditional rush mats. After the war, the family business took an unexpected turn, producing rush baskets known as "yami-kago" or "ikago."" These sturdy, practical baskets became popular in the black markets of the time, quietly becoming part of everyday life.
Today, the craft lives on through Takaki, the fifth-generation owner and the only artisan in Japan still making ikago. Using techniques passed down from his grandmother, he carefully handcrafts each basket, continuing a tradition that spans more than a century.
Lightweight, durable, and beautifully breathable, ikago baskets are perfect for carrying wine or sake, and ideal for storing root vegetables like onions and potatoes.
Origin
Okayama, Japan
Okayama is the capital city of its namesake prefecture, in western Japan. It’s known for the 16th-century Okayama Castle, dubbed “Crow Castle” for its black exterior, and for Korakuen, an iconic formal garden.