07-Aug-2024
One of my past works, this is a 3-sun sized cube-style Japanese puzzle box. It has 14 steps to open. I haven’t made this size for about 10 years (if my memory serves me right😅). Recently, I have been making the cube style in 2-sun and 4-sun sizes. but About 10 years ago, I used to make this 3-sun size quite often.
Actually, I have been requested to make this puzzle box again. A shop overseas has asked for it. This shop used to sell this box before. So, I received the request again, thank you!😊 The requested design remains the same. It features a three-colored checkered pattern (ichimatsu). I create this checkered pattern myself.
3-sun is approximately 9 cm. For a cube size, it is just the right (easy to hold) size, but the reason I haven’t made this size is that I couldn’t obtain Traditional-yosegi (Ko-yosegi) of this size. I can freely adjust the size of this checkered pattern myself, so that’s not a problem. Traditional yosegi sheets are custom-made according to the size of the puzzle box, so sometimes production is interrupted for this reason.
The woods used are Walnut, Mizuki, and Rengas wood for ichimatsu sheet. So, when making this box, I need to create this checkered pattern yosegi first. Although Rengas wood is not banned, it is almost no longer imported into Japan. I purchased some of this wood about 20 years ago, so I am using that stock. This wood is indispensable for making “Yosegi” because it has a beautiful red color in some parts. Currently, padauk (a foreign wood similar to Japanese karin wood) is used as a substitute for rengas.
The three colors in this photo are very beautiful. The red, in particular, is in excellent condition. I am planning to find such beautiful red parts of the wood this time as well. It is difficult to confirm the color without cutting the wood, as its surface may be discolored.
This production might take place around September to October. At that time, I will introduce it here again.
