[A 132-Year-Old Bamboo House] Connecting Torafudake Bamboo, Which Blooms Once Every 120 Years, to the Future

Torafudake Specialty Shop Taketora (operated by Yamagishi Bamboo Materials Co., Ltd.), a specialized bamboo manufacturer that has been patronized since its establishment in 1894 as a manufacturer and wholesaler of bamboo materials and bamboo products, supports April Dream, an initiative to make April 1st a day to send out dreams. This press release is the dream of "Torafudake Specialty Shop Taketora." Torafudake Specialty Shop Taketora https://www.taketora.co.jp/ For 132 years since our founding, we have walked hand in hand with bamboo, and we are now at a major turning point. Torafudake, with its unique tiger stripes, grows wild in the "Toratake no Sato" (Village of Toratake) area in Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture. Since our founder, Usaburo Yamagishi, captivated by this bamboo, established his bamboo materials business in Osaka, our family has continued to walk with Torafudake for four generations. We have overcome numerous difficulties such as the factory being burned down during the war, the decline in bamboo usage due to changing times, and the influx of overseas products, all while carrying forward our desire to "live with bamboo." And now, Torafudake is beginning to experience a flowering phenomenon, said to occur once every 120 years. Bamboo has a characteristic of wilting after flowering, and it takes many years for it to be usable as bamboo material again. This natural phenomenon is an event we are facing for the first time, and it is a major turning point that will determine the future of the bamboo forest. However, we are not standing still in the face of this situation and are making every effort possible. We are maintaining the mountain paths to safely access the Torafudake bamboo forest where flowering has not occurred, and we are establishing a system to utilize limited resources without waste. Working in an environment surrounded by steep mountains is by no means easy, but we are making efforts to connect to the future, facing each bamboo stalk with sincerity. Furthermore, we are focusing on passing down the skills of bamboo craftsmen. We have invited skilled bamboo craftsmen from outside to train young craftsmen in advanced bamboo weaving techniques. By reliably passing down the skills cultivated over many years to the next generation, we are building a system that can continue to create value from bamboo under any circumstances. At Taketora, we have always strived to utilize bamboo resources without waste. We also utilize Torafudake that does not exhibit tiger patterns, known as "shiro" (white), giving it new value as charcoal, and we continue to find ways to use bamboo materials exhaustively. Bamboo, which grows to a height of about 20 meters in approximately three months, is a sustainable natural material that combines strength and flexibility. Our mission is to maximize its potential. Torafudake, which grows only in a narrow valley of about 1.5 km in the Anwa district of Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture. Protecting this bamboo forest is equivalent to protecting the region's nature, culture, and future livelihoods. That is why we have a responsibility to pass on this irreplaceable resource to the next generation. With the experience, techniques, and passion for bamboo cultivated over our 132-year history, Taketora will continue to take on new challenges. Our dream for the next 100 years is singular: "To protect and pass on the Torafudake bamboo forest." Through "April Dream," we will share this aspiration and convey the value of bamboo and its future possibilities to more people. Torafudake Specialty Shop Taketora https://www.taketora.co.jp/