Wakasa Lacquer Chopstick Polishing × Wakasa Washi Paper Box Making: 'Wakasa Takumi Musubi' Connects Obama's Traditional Crafts Through Experience, Starting April 22

Takatori Shigyo Ltd. (Obama City, Fukui / Representative: Yoshio Takatori) will launch the regional craft tourism project 'CRAFTED IN COLOR OBAMA (Wakasa Takumi Musubi)' on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, offering traditional crafts of Obama City, Fukui Prefecture, as an experiential project. The first project is the 'Wakasa Lacquer Chopstick Polishing × Wakasa Washi Paper Box Making Experience' (5,500 JPY incl. tax / approx. 2 hours). To commemorate the launch, the first 50 residents of Obama City will be invited for free. After the experience, a tour plan to visit tourist spots within Obama City will also be provided, allowing participants to experience the charm of the entire town, sparked by the craft experience.

Wakasa Takumi Musubi HP

https://www.takatoriproject.com/

■ Background of the Project Launch

Obama City, Fukui Prefecture, is a production center for traditional crafts with hundreds of years of history, such as Wakasa lacquer chopsticks and Wakasa washi paper. However, in recent years, these techniques have faced the crisis of disappearing due to the aging of artisans and a lack of successors. On the other hand, the demand for experiential tourism is expanding both domestically and internationally, and 'craft-making experiences' are highly popular among foreign tourists visiting Japan.

'Wakasa Takumi Musubi' is a project that aims to pass on the skills of artisans to the next generation and revitalize the local economy by not just 'seeing' Obama's crafts, but 'experiencing,' 'taking them home,' and 'touring the town.'

■ Experience Program 'Wakasa Lacquer Chopstick Polishing × Wakasa Washi Paper Box Making'

This is an experience where you polish Wakasa lacquer chopsticks, which have been coated with multiple layers of lacquer, to create a one-of-a-kind pair of chopsticks. It doesn't end with the chopsticks; it's a unique 3-step process from Obama where you also handcraft a box to store the chopsticks using your chosen Wakasa washi paper. You can take the finished product home with you.

STEP 1 | Chopstick Polishing

Discover your own pattern from within the chopsticks. While polishing the Wakasa lacquer chopsticks, you will gradually reveal the colors and patterns hidden in the lacquer layers. It's the creation of a unique pair that changes its expression with every polish.

STEP 2 | Washi Paper Box Making

It doesn't end with the chopsticks. After finishing the chopsticks, you will also craft a box with your own hands to store the completed chopsticks, using your chosen Wakasa washi paper.

STEP 3 | Completion

A pair of chopsticks and a washi paper box become a single work of art. The experience is complete when you place the polished chopsticks into the washi paper box you crafted yourself. What you take home is not just the artwork, but the time you spent creating with your hands in Obama.