About us

Welcome to aitoki, the comprehensive online shop for two stores (Jumoku Nishiwaki and Ai no Ki) located in Obuse Town, Nagano Prefecture.

The name "aitoki" is derived from "ai" (indigo), primarily handled by the indigo dyeing store, and "ki" (wood), the material used for the pottery craftsmanship store.

Both indigo and wood possess a natural beauty and comfort that can be felt.

They also embody the warmth of human handiwork and evolve with depth and character the more they are used, accumulating time with their owners.

We believe that the appeal of objects that have been cherished and loved through "time" can resonate with us who live in the present.

We hope that our products bring you the joy of using something you cherish and the pleasure of sharing time with it in your daily life.

We ask for your continued patronage as our third store.

This shop is operated by our store staff. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Artisan Profile
Woodturner Yoshizou Nishiwaki
(Member of the Japan Kijishi Association, Nagano Prefecture Woodcraft Instructor)

Living with the Life of Trees
After 40-some years of trial and error in both life and work, I now feel as though the spirits of my predecessors and the cries of the trees are speaking to me. My path as a novice is still long, but I would be honored if you could understand even a little of my current work and the voices of the trees.

Our Commitment
Our products begin with the search for raw timber by the previous generation. The artisans themselves, alongside forest owners, sought out and harvested trees from the mountains of neighboring prefectures like Gunma, as well as throughout Japan, especially Nagano Prefecture. Every year, several truckloads of precious wood are prepared. However, large, aged trees are becoming scarcer each year, with mulberry, pagoda tree, and plum significantly declining. Black persimmon has become so rare it's almost mythical. Purchasing them from the market has also become extremely expensive. Therefore, we carefully utilize the raw timber passed down from the previous generation. The woodturner carefully assesses each piece, discerning its unique characteristics from raw timber that has been carefully aged for decades, experiencing all four seasons. Only those who have worked with wood for many years truly hear its voice. (2004)

Biography
1939 Born in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture
1962 Apprenticed to Takayoshi Nishiwaki II
　 　　　　　Engaged in lathe turning craftsmanship
1988 Exhibited at the Contemporary Craft Exhibition at Soso Museum, Niigata Prefecture
1989 Exhibited at the Sun Valley Art Fair, USA
1992 Held a solo exhibition at Hachijuni Bank Gallery 82
1993 Exhibited at the 1st Japan Hikimono Exhibition
1994 Exhibited at the 2nd Japan Hikimono Exhibition
1996 Exhibition at Kanai Shoten Gallery
1997 Exhibited at the 3rd Japan Hikimono Exhibition
1999 Nagano Tokyu 　～Kijishi Three-Person Exhibition～
2004 Exhibition at Kanai Shoten Gallery
　　　　　　Exhibited at the 5th Japan Hikimono Exhibition
2009 Exhibited at the 6th Japan Hikimono Exhibition
2010 Exhibited at the 41st Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition
　　　　　　Awarded by the Mayor of Yamanouchi Town
2011 Awarded by the Governor of Nagano Prefecture as a Shinshu Master Craftsman
　　　　　　Certified as a Shinshu Monozukuri Meister
2013 Exhibited at the 7th Japan Hikimono Exhibition
2014 Selected for the 28th Japan Sencha Craft Exhibition

Indigo dyeing and vegetable dyeing use natural colors extracted from plant leaves, branches, and bark.

Indigo is known as "wearable medicine" and has properties that protect the human body, such as insect repellent and skin disease prevention. Dyeing with indigo also strengthens the fabric and provides protection for the body. Monpe (work pants), samue (work clothes), and kasuri (ikat fabric) used for traditional workwear were typical indigo-dyed work clothes that were familiar in daily life.

I believe that peace of mind and comfort are things that can only be understood through personal experience. We loved cotton and indigo-dyed fabrics that brought us peace and comfort. When we encountered indigo fabric that satisfied us, we decided to create comfortable clothes that we ourselves would want to wear, and we have been striving towards that goal ever since. We are committed to making products that prioritize the human body, a principle that remains unchanged from past to present.

While indigo is known as "Japan Blue," there are various indigo dyeing traditions and histories around the world. It is said to be the oldest dye known to mankind, and the technique is believed to have been introduced to Japan from China via Korea during the Nara period. With the desire for as many people as possible to use indigo-dyed products, our indigo-dyed products are manufactured in China. We deliver durable and easy-to-use indigo-dyed products from Obuse Town, Nagano Prefecture.