*SHIPPING OPTIONS VARY DEPENDING ON THE DESTINATION, PLEASE SCROLL TO THE END OF THIS LISTING FOR MORE DETAILS.

This listing is for a SMALL sasano ittobori ‘otaka poppo’ woodcarving of a hawk made around 20 years ago by Toda Kanpu VI.  The word ‘poppo’ comes from the Ainu word for toy, and ‘otaka’, meaning hawk, refers to Uesugi Yozan (1751-1822), a famous daimyo of Yonezawa.   It is fashioned from a single piece of wood and is entirely hand-painted.  The signature of the craftsperson can be found near the base.

Toda Kanpu VI (b.1949) is a 6^th generation ittobori craftsperson and current master of ‘Ganso Sasano Ittobori Takayama’ workshop.  His real name is Kazuo, and Kanpu is his yamabushi name.  Yamabushi are practitioners of the ancient belief of Shugendo, and engage in activities such as mountain pilgrimages and fire walking rituals.  Toda primarily uses koshiabura and enju wood, the wood is cut one year before and dried out before carving.  Trees that grow in the shade have softer wood and are easier to carve.  Also the enju tree has long been used as a talisman to ward off evil spirits and demons, and is said to bring happiness.  Toda is actually the first sasano ittobori craftsperson to carve birds from enju wood.  He is not only known for ittobori, he makes baskets as well from wild grape vines.  He spends 200 days a year visiting department stores across the country to demonstrate and sell his products.  Ittobori was originally just a side job for farmers, Toda was the first to make it his full time job and make a living from it.  Toda’s son is also a sasano ittobori craftsman and is now the 7^th generation master.  **Fellow sellers, this information was researched by Kominka Zakka and CANNOT be used in your own listings.

Sasano ittobori refers to woodcarving from the Sasano area of Yonezawa in Yamagata Prefecture. It is a traditional 1200 year old carving technique traced back to the construction of Sasano Kannon temple in 807. Craftsmen carve out birds such as roosters and hawks from single pieces of wood. A special chisel called a ‘chijire’ is used to strip the bark from the wood, and another type called a ‘sarukiri’ is used to cut out the shape of the bird and add detail to the carving. Sasano-ittobori is sometimes painted although the wings are left unpainted because the moisture from the paint will cause the wood to lose its flexibility. The wood used for sasano-ittobori carving comes from koshiabura and enju trees because they are strong yet flexible. Both trees are widely believed to be auspicious, therefore sasano carvings are given to bring good luck and prosperity.                                                                                                                              

Size

H.13.3cm (5.2”) x 5.1cm (2”) across x 6.5cm (2.5”) from back to front                                   

Condition

It’s in very good condition with only very minor surface wear.                                              

THESE ARE SHIPPING ESTIMATES BASED ON THE CURRENT GLOBAL SITUATION                                                                 

**Germany, France, Greece, Spain, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Lithuania, Slovenia:  NO SHIPPING.  Very strict and expensive packaging laws in place and we are not licensed to send products to these countries.  We have no plan to register at this time because the process is in some cases very expensive and complicated, plus each country has its own set of regulations and application process. 

**USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Norway: Airmail Small Packet (approx. 15-28 days).  Combined shipping available up to 2kgs for Airmail Small Packet (please send us a message).

**Asia:  Airmail Small Packet (approx. 15-21 days).  Combined shipping available up to 2kgs for Airmail Small Packet (please send us a message).

**Central Asia, Middle East, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico:  EMS Express 10-15 days.

**Russia:  No shipping methods available.