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 For
thousands of years, puzzle boxes have been around.
However, it has just been over the past century
that these special boxes have become so popular.
Have you ever wondered who creates these boxes?
The answer is that some are master craftsmen from
various countries while others are people who have
become involved in the making of these rare gems.
To show you just how magnificent these puzzle
boxes are, we wanted to provide some history regarding
some of the historical artisans who have made them so
unique.
Yoshio
Okiyama
– Although Mr. Okiyama passed away in 2003, he
provided over 80 years of expertise in the creation of
puzzle boxes. While
his final product is incredible, the process he went
through to ensure every puzzle box was perfect is what
helps him stand apart from other artisans.
For example, Mr. Okiyama was renowned for picking
out the wood, curing it, cutting it to the appropriate
size, and basically, doing everything on his own.
The experience and knowledge owned by Mr. Okiyama
was passed down for three generations, starting with Mr.
Ninomiya who then passed it down to Mr. Kamei.
Following were other artisans who learned from
the skills of Mr. Okiyama were Mr. Yoshzawa, Mr. Kanbara,
and Mr. Suzuki.
Mr.
Yoshikazu Goto
– Mr. Goto, born in 1935, offered more than 45 years
hands-on experience in the art of puzzle box and other
woodworking projects.
Mr. Goto was best known for his incredible
attention to detail with each puzzle box made.
In fact, his work was so incredible that Mr. Goto
was the recipient of the Hakone Odawara Woodworking
Crafts competition, taking first place.
Both
of these puzzle box artists came from Japan in the
Hakone/Odawara region.
Interestingly, while puzzle boxes are popular and
that popularity is growing, just 30 of the 100 people
found in this area create the Yosegi-Zaiku style of box
with just four producing Moku-Zougan puzzle boxes.
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