Karakuri Report No.20

April 12th, 2006

*The first step toward the Karakuri Museum.

"Karakuri-Kogei-Kan-Tanaka (Karakuri Crafts Museum Tanaka)" has opened.

On April 12th, "Karakuri-Kogei-Kan-Tanaka" opened. Karakuri furniture and over 50 Karakuri works are exhibited there. Customers can play with the works, and also purchase products that are in stock.

In the Hakone/Odawara area, a lot of woodcraft skills and ideas of Karakuri have been developing. We believe that if Karakuri-Kan is made, it will become a foundation of displaying Karakuri goods and a place for customers to play with and discover a new appreciation for this work. We think the opening of "Tanaka" is the first step toward the "Karakuri-Kan (Karakuri Museum)".
　

*Creation 2
We are making a table with Karakuri.

We are trying to make a new Karakuri table. It will be made to take part in the Jerry Slocum's puzzle table project. Of course, it will be sent to the USA from Japan. But, we'll make another copy to show people in Japan. Please wait for its completion.
　

*Creation 3
New Karakuri Small Box and Xmas presents

We also had an exhibition in a scientific museum in Tokushima Pre.

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Karakuri Report #19

May 1st, 2005

We have completed the Electric Secret Box!

At present, Karakuri Creation Group has completed The Electric Secret Box. It's a 5 step Secret Box with a drawer. It opens and closes with 5 steps automatically, in one process. Through one mode, you can either push to start it or the sensor starts it when a person walks in front of it. Another mode moves it repeatedly. It will be exhibited at the summer exhibition. The original Secret Boxes were meant to be opened by hand. Some of you may be wondering why we used electricity to operate it. Perhaps, Karakuri fans will say, " I thought that Karakuri craftsmen didn't use modern electricity in their work." Well, we just wanted to be hip craftsmen and make it just once... Actually we made it for our exhibitions. You might be able to see it earlier in some Hakone shops. We planned to make the surface patten Yosegi or Zogan, but it was too difficult this time. Instead, we used a beautiful wood that is called "Rio Grande". The longest side is 45cm long. We've been making it for a year now along with our standard products. We are happy to be able to announce that we have completed it.

Exhibition Schedule for Tokyo and Hyogo Prefecture

1)

Box Exhibition (work with your hands)

We'll display boxes along with our smaller works.

May 30th to June 3rd at Furusato-Jyoho-Plaza in Tokyo.



2)

Our exhibition of about 50 works

July 20th to August 31st

at Arima Toys and Automata Museum in Hyogo Prefecture, near Osaka.

Check the schedule for days it will be closed.



3)

Karakuri Puzzle Exhibition, Challenge to the Trick.

Exhibiting our Electric Secret Box,

Game of Life (with Karakuri Gates), and smaller works.

July 28th to September 11th.

At Himeji Science Museum in Hyogo, near Osaka.

Some days will be closed.
　

Christmas Present for Members

Karakuri Club started as a fan club of Karakuri Creation Group, which was originally Akio Kamei's fan club. One of our projects, is for each craftsman to create an origianl Christmas present for the Karakuri Club members. Each customer may choose a craftsman to make their Christmas present. All of our craftsmen believe that since they were specifically chosen by the customer, that their Christmas creation must be unique.
　

Karakuri products sold at Tanaka's shop

We began selling our Karakuri works in a shop called, "Tanaka." Tanaka is a member of our group, who runs a small souvenir shop. We hope to hear about your impression of our work. When you visit, please tell Tanaka what you think. The shop is located along the national road, route 1, between Odawara and Hakone. Oh! He speaks only Japanese...
　

Japanese translation of puzzle article

With Naoaki Takashima, we made a Japanese translation of the article, "Early Japanese Export Puzzles 1860's to 1960's", by Jerry Slocum and Rik van Grol. It's a great article, and was based on Jerry Slocum's enormous collection. It was written about Japanese trick banks, interlocking puzzles, Secret Boxes, and their history.
　

US Puzzle Craftsman, Kagen Schaefer

On our website, we made a new page to introduce Kagen Schaefer. He is a friend of our group.

http://www.karakuri.gr.jp/creation/Kagen.htm

He has fans also in Japan, who are anticipating his activities. There is a common style between our Karakuri works and his puzzles. But at the same time, we are also different. It might be a cultural difference. However, his works have also influenced our own thinking.


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Karakuri Report #18

Our aim is to create works that are pretty, low-priced and exciting. At the end of 2003, we produced about 10 works through trial and error. From them we chose 3 works, improving them repeatedly. The #1 box has only 3 moves, but most of the people we talked to couldn't actually solve the puzzle without looking at the solution. We put Yosegi (UROKO or scale) and our logo mark. Maybe you can see the characters, KARAKURI in Japanese. In fact, it was very difficult to make the logo mark as Yosegi. It costs 2,000 - 3,000 yen. About 25.00 - 30.00 dollars. They supply 1/10 of our standard works and 1/3 of our Creative Secret Boxes.

*SUMMER 2004 EXHIBITION IN JAPAN

This summer we are going to have an exhibition in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan. We will exhibit Kamei's Karakuri furniture and of course other standard works. Unfortunately, members of our group won't be there to greet you.
　

*TOKYO SCIENCE MUSEUM EXHIBITION

Twenty works were displayed at the museum between March 20th and April 4th, 2004. This exhibition was during spring vacation. The theme was "2004 woodcraft art, Mecha-Ki (wood) and worlds of Karakuri". We were unable to personally attend the event, however many of our customers commented on how pleased they were.
　

*KEZUROUKAI EXHIBITION

In Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan, the Kezuroukai festival was held from April 10th - 11th, 2004. Kezuroukai is an association that is composed of carpenters and various other skilled persons who have a festival to display skills such as making the thinnest wood shavings with a Japanese plane. Their goal is to keep the Japanese traditional woodworking skills alive. When we consulted the group we were invited to join in the exhibition. At the exhibition there were so many carpenters that we were afraid we were out of place since we were mere "puzzle and secret box" craftsmen. But our fears were put to rest by seeing so many customers enjoying our display. Even the stern-faced carpenters seemed more child-like as they played with our samples.

Karakuri Report #17
September 20, 2003

*The Exhibition in Nagoya City was successful
The Karakuri Creation Group held an exhibition from July 19th to August 31st in Nagoya City Science Museum. The title was "Think with your hands !? Wooden Karakuri Exhibition." The exhibition was held for a total of 39 days, and over 88,000 people, including children came and played. It was very successful. Thanks to all who participated in the event and those of you who helped us make it possible.
To accomplish this exhibition, we were helped by the staff of the Nagoya City Museum, the staff of the Chunichi Shimbun, part time staff, the students of Meijo Univ. and many others. The exhibition was successful through everyones cooperation. We, all the group members, give our most humble thanks.
Well, in the first hall of the exhibition, we set up 10 Karakuri doors and expressed the "Karakuri version game of life". It the second hall, we exhibited several hundred standard size works. There was a play corner where customers could handle each product and play with it, a video corner where we introduced the Karakuri Works, A Creative Secret Box corner, the corner of the works made in history, the corner of the works by Yoshio Okiyama and a few others. And Karakuri furniture was set up, where we also held stage shows (demonstrations) 2 times a day. One customer was highly impressed and told us how surprised he was at the number of works. It was a huge amount. Yes, it was the biggest exhibition so far for us.

*It was the final settlement of accounts of all of our activities for the past 4 years.
This exhibition was a very important experience for us as well. The challenge to make and express the Karakuri version "Game of life", the study of the works in history while making a book, the project of the Creative Secret Box Series (9 times), and others. Each project was rewarded with invaluable results. The challenge was a rewarding experience for us with various dramatic episodes. Before the exhibition, one of the group members cowardly said, "I'm just a craftsman! I'm not good at performing in front of people." But, he resolved his problems and handled many demonstrations well. Through that experience he gained a little self confidence. He said, "People can do anything, if he or she does it bravely".
And at the hall, students helped us as our staff to show and explain the works to the customers.
Obviously, they saw the Karakuri Works for the first time. But, they learned and studied rapidly, with a lot of enthusiasm. They were very friendly with the children. And they were showing the works with a fresh view, different from us. We admired them for that.
We, the group, consider this exhibition as the final settlement of accounts of all of our activities over the past 4 years. This exhibition was successful wholly. But, we know that there were also various points that we have to review. Now, we feel happy about the success of the exhibition, and at the same time, we are having meetings to review and think of our future.

*We made 2 books

We the group made 2 books. One is KB-2 "KARAKURI Works in Hakone & Odawara." The general editor is Mr. Sojun Iwasaki. It's a book about the Karakuri works in history in this area. Another one is KB-1 "We are the Karakuri Creation Group !" It's a book to show our works. Please have a look at both of these great books!

Thank you.

Topics:
*"Creative Secret Box"
*The schedule of Nagoya Exhibition
*A new book about Okiyama

*We named our new Secret Box, "Creative Secret Box."
We named the new Secret Boxes that Karakuri Creation Group is making, "Creative Secret Box (Series)." You know, we are trying to create new Secret Boxes. And we will be able to show you the first one. Each of the works will have it's own original name. Until now, at our group meeting, we have called our new Secret Boxes, "new Secret box." But, we thought that if we name it "New Secret Box", we would have to keep calling it "New Secret Box" even 10 years from now. Therefore, we didn't choose "New Secret Box."

*The schedule of Nagoya Exhibition
theme:
THINK WITH YOUR HANDS!? WOODEN KARAKURI EXHIBITION"
contents:
Karakuri Door, Standard Display, Play Corner, Karakuri Class, History Corner.
schedule:
From: July 19th, 2003 to August 31st, 2003
Closed: July 22nd, July 28th, August 4th, August 18th, August 25th
Place: Nagoya City Science Museum
（ http://www.ncsm.city.nagoya.jp/ ) Japanese only

*We published a book
Karakuri Creation Group published a book. It's "A Collection of Works by Secret Box Master Craftsman Yoshio Okiyama" The general editor is Sojun Iwasaki. Yoshio Okiyama is a master craftsman who has made fine Secret Boxes for many years. He took over the making of Secret Boxes and also created his own original Secret Boxes.
He also had been the chairman of our group. Please enjoy his attractive works and the world of Secret Boxes that has such long history.

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