“The One and Only. Cherish and appreciate its beauty.

 TSUKI-JIRI – 

It does not appear on the stage, but rather sits still as an understudy behind the scenes.
But in fact, it is very valuable and a gem that can play a leading role, not just a supporting role.
This is because TSUKIJIRI is a solid wood that boasts beauty, selected from among many.
 
It would be a waste to let it end up in the back.
Now, please welcome, this handsome wooden plate with beautiful grain, 『TSUKI-JIRI WOOD PLATE

 

SPEC

Wood type: Oak
size:12x120x30012x150x320mm

Finishing: CERAWOOD coating
Types: Flat, Ridged, Indigo dyed

Product PageTSUKI-JIRI WOOD PLATE

TYPE

[Ridged/ridged

The ridged type of the plate is completely hand-carved by Masahiro Ikawa, a third generation IKAWA sculptor, a carving master who has been creating advanced wood carvings.
Each piece has a unique texture carved by hand with an engraving knife.
The three-dimensional rippled grain pattern is attractive.
 IKAWA sculpture
 

[Indigo Dyed/Indigo Dyed]

Its deep and profound indigo blue color is known as “Japan Blue.”
Each piece of natural wood is carefully dyed using a natural and traditional way of dyeing called “Hakko-date,” which uses only natural materials and does not use any chemicals.

Wood Type

[oak/oak

Oak has a nice natural color that is easy to match with a variety of foods.
A hard and heavy wood with excellent durability. Oak is a hardwood from the beech family, and it is also well know for its acorn trees.
The wood is characterized by its mottled grain, and when the mottling is large and looks like tiger fur, it is called “Torafu” (meaning a Tiger Mottle). We also call mottling “silver grain.”()
Depending on the angle of view, the grain spots reflect light and appear to shine, and this luster is also a feature of indigo-dyed wood.

 

 ABOUT

“TSUKI-ITA" is a wood veneer, thinly sliced paper-thin piece of solid wood with a beautiful grain, used as a surface material for furniture and other products.
From the start, only solid wood with beautiful grain and in good condition is selected for use as TSUKI-ITA.
The rest of the wood is called “TSUKI-JIRI,” which remains after slicing off TSUKI-ITA to the limit.
TSUKI-JIRI, boards of 10 to 20mm in thickness, are placed on the top and bottom of the pile of hundreds of TSUKI-ITA.
However, only the thinly sliced TSUKI-ITA are used for furniture and fittings.
TSUKI-JIRI has been regarded as the “remains” or “leftovers” and rarely has been used for production.

 

MORI KOUGEI, which has specialized in applying TSUKI-ITA to furniture and fittings for many years, recently realized this and thought about it.

 

“Although it cannot be used to decorate the surface of furniture and fittings,
TSUKI-JIRI is originally a flawless solid wood with beautiful grain and color.
What a waste not to use it...”

 

TSUKI-JIRI is a precious and splendid wood.
Each one has its own character, and each is a rare, one-of-a-kind material.

 

These peerless TSUKI-JIRI are transformed into plates that can be considered as “great supporting players,” specializing in complementing the main role, food or dishes.

 

Putting unused actors out onto the stage.
Thinking about sustainability in a simple way.

 

This is a new commitment and initiative by MORI KOUGEI, which celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2023.


 

 

Product Page TSUKI-JIRI WOOD PLATE

ABOUT TSUKI-JIRI WOOD PLATE

[What is TSUKI-JIRI? ]

“TSUKI-ITA” is made by carefully selecting wood with beautiful grain and slicing it. The remaining part of the wood is called “TSUKI-JIRI.”「

Hundreds of TSUKI-ITA were stacked between 10 to 20mm-thick board called “TSUKI-JIRI,” but the TSUKI-JIRI were usually left unused.

However, this TSUKI-JIRI is still a carefully selected wood. The “remaining” part that could not be made into TSUKI-ITA is reborn as a TSUKI-JIRI WOOD PLATE.

 

[What kind of plate is it?]

Each tree, even of the same species, has its own character and differences in grain depending on the environment in which it was grown. The TSUKI-JIRI WOOD PLATE is a plate that allows you to enjoy the grain and expression of the wood, which is the formative beauty of such natural materials. TSUKI-JIRI was never intended to be a commodity in the first place, therefore, each one is one-of-a-kind. Feel the warm atmosphere of a tree from a forest somewhere, delivered in the form of a plate.

 

[What kind of finish does the plate have?]

Acoating called “CERAWOOD” is selected as the top coat. This is because it is important not to spoil the texture of the wood, while at the same time considering its practicality as tableware. CERAWOOD is a high-performance ceramic coating based on urethane resin with ultra-fine particle composites. It is more resistant to heat, stains, and UV rays than typical urethane paint finishes. Of course, it also complies with food hygiene regulations.

 

[ How you can use it?]

These are just a few examples: The square shaped one will accentuate a dining table lined with round plates. It can be used to serve appetizers, Japanese sweets, tea utensils, and sake cups. Please enjoy it as a wooden vessel to add color to your daily dining table.

We recommend styling with “Western” items as well as “Japanese” ones. We are sure that the table will be enlivened by a plate with hors d’oeuvers, snacks such as cheese and nuts, and lovely sweets.

Its very simple design will allow you to enjoy styling and arranging it freely. Please use the TSUKI-JIRI WOOD PLATE as you wish.

[Interior design]

Combined with a vase for a single flower or your favorite accessories, it can be enjoyed as an interior item to add nice taste to your room.

 

[How do I take care of it?]

TSUKI-JIRI WOOD PLATE can be easily used as tableware for daily use.

The care is the same as for other common tableware. Please wash it with a soft sponge using a neutral detergent. Wipe with a soft, dry cloth after washing and before storing.

 

[Is there any other variations available? ]

Basically, we produce TSUKI-JIRI WOOD PLATE with oak wood, but we can use other wood types. Its size can also be customized depending on the size of the TSUKI-JIRI. We especially welcome inquiries from restaurants and cafes. Please feel free to contact us for details if you have any questions, requests, or concerns.

お問い合わせ

[Instruction manua]

  • Excessive impact may cause damage.
  • Wash with a soft sponge and mild detergent.
  • Avoid using in microwave, dishwasher, or refrigerator.
  • Avoid putting iron items on/beside the wet plate. It may cause discoloration.
  • Do not leave in direct sunlight for hours.
  • Avoid prolonged soaking in water, as it may cause stains, wood distortion, or cracking.
  • Each wood grain and color is different. Enjoy the natural look and character of the wood, even though there are some knots and color differences.

Package

The simple and luxurious packaging is ideal for gifts and presents for celebrations.

 

 

[Message from MORI KOUGEI]

MORI KOUGEI is a decorative plywood processing company, specializing in application of “TSUKI-ITA,” a wood sliced as thin as paper.

 We are based in Tokushima Prefecture, where woodworking has flourished for hundreds of years.
MORI KOUGEI was established in 1953 in Tokushima City, when my grandfather started a business specializing in the application of TSUKI-ITA.
 
At that time, our main products were butsudan (Buddhist altars) and dressing tables with mirrors. Instead of assembling plywood with TSUKI-ITA already applied, as is done today, TSUKI-ITA was applied with animal glue to the assembled product with a small hand-held iron.
Currently, we produce decorative plywood for various products, such as furniture, fittings, architecture, and store interiors. Our specialty is to carefully listen to the requests our clients have in mind and help realize their image based on our extensive experience and knowledge of wood. Although the industrial structure has changed drastically over time with the rapid growth of Japan and the development of mechanization, MORI KOUGEI celebrates the 70th anniversary of its founding in 2023. It may be "only 70 years" and while there are many companies with a much longer history, for me, this milestone is a bit emotional.

 

In this anniversary year for MORI KOUGEI, we are launching a new initiative.

 

We wondered if MORI KOUGEI could do something to help the environment, which has become a social issue in recent years. We have been thinking about:

 

Trying to reduce the amount of materials that are disposed of without being used. In other words,

To make effective use of resources.

 

We thought this was the first step we could take.
And the result is the TSUKI-JIRI WOOD PLATE.TSUKI-JIRI WOOD PLATE

 

It is only a small step, but our goal is to make users happy by transforming materials that had been unused and overlooked into attractive products. 

 TSUKI-JIRI WOOD PLATE