Kurikyu (栗久) was founded in 1874 in Ōdate, Akita Prefecture, and is one of Japan's most respected makers of Ōdate magewappa (大館曲げわっぱ) — bentwood vessels shaped from Akita cedar. Now in its sixth generation, the workshop is led by Shunji Kurimori (栗盛俊二), who holds the rare distinction of being both a METI-certified Master of Traditional Crafts (伝統工芸士) and a nationally recognised Contemporary Master Craftsman (現代の名工 gendai no meikou) — the highest living-craft honour bestowed by the Japanese government. Ōdate magewappa is designated by METI as one of Japan's traditional crafts, a technique that began centuries ago as practical storage for rice and provisions.

Each piece starts with Akita-sugi (秋田杉) cedar planks, steamed until pliable, then bent by hand around a wooden mould and clamped with cherry bark (桜皮 sakura-kawa) — no glue, no nails. The bending is entirely done by feel; machines cannot replicate the judgement of pressure and angle that prevents cracking. After shaping, multiple layers of urushi (漆) lacquer are applied by hand over weeks, building the surface that protects the wood whilst allowing its natural grain and fragrance to come through. The result is astonishingly light, warm to the touch, and built to last generations.

At iromizu, Kurikyu's bentwood pieces belong to Brew Time — cups that make morning tea or water feel different in the hand, with the faint warmth of cedar and the quiet beauty of visible grain. These are objects that grow more characterful with every use. See them below.