組子細工職人　岩本大輔さん
Kumiko craftsman Daisuke Iwamoto

　高知市の組子細工作職人、土佐組子代表・岩本大輔さん。建具屋・岩本木工の長男として生まれた岩本さん。高校卒業後に家業に入り仕事をしているうちに建具の世界で最も難しいとされる組子細工の技術を習得したいと考え、宮城の職人のもとで修業。東日本大震災のため1年で帰郷した後、建具の仕事をしながら組子細工の技術を磨きました。
しかし、現代では組子細工を建築物に取り入れることが少なくなっており、建具以外の新しい提案が必要と考え「土佐組子」を設立。酒造やワイナリーと組んだギフト用の箱や、名刺入れ、時計など身近な商品開発に取り組みます。
　その後、建築家の隈研吾氏らとの出会いを経て、組子細工の奥深い世界を追求、作家性の高い職人として認められるようになっていきます。
　岩本さんが大事にしている「伝統と革新」。伝統をベースに、時代に合わせた革新を。その先に高知の組子細工の未来を見据えています。50年後に高知の伝統工芸として認定されることを目指して、岩本さんの新しいものへの挑戦は続きます。

Daisuke Iwamoto, representative of Tosa Kumiko and master craftsman of kumiko woodwork in Kochi City. Born as the eldest son of Iwamoto Mokko, a joinery shop, Mr. Iwamoto entered the family business after graduating from high school. While working there, he decided he wanted to master the art of kumiko woodwork, considered the most difficult technique in the joinery world, and apprenticed under a craftsman in Miyagi. After returning home a year later due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, he continued to hone his kumiko woodwork skills while working in joinery.
However, in modern times, kumiko woodwork is rarely incorporated into buildings, so he felt the need for new proposals beyond traditional joinery and established "Tosa Kumiko." He has been developing everyday products such as gift boxes in collaboration with sake breweries and wineries, as well as business card cases and clocks.

Following encounters with architects like Kengo Kuma, he delved deeper into the intricate world of kumiko woodwork, eventually gaining recognition as a craftsman with a high level of artistic expression.
Iwamoto values the balance between "tradition and innovation." Rooted in tradition, he seeks innovation tailored to the times. Looking ahead, he envisions the future of Kochi's kumiko woodwork. Aiming for recognition as a traditional craft of Kochi in 50 years, Iwamoto's pursuit of new challenges continues.

tretre（トレトレ）

　仁淀川の源流に近い、仁淀川町名野川にあるtretreさん。代表は竹内太郎さん。「暮らしの中から物を生み出していくこと」を志し、2014年に妻・尚実さんと仁淀川町に移住しました。今も残る自給自足の日常に触れ、生活と仕事が近いこの環境ならやりたい物作りができると感じたそうです。「やるからには、世界中で勝負できる物を作りたい。土地にオリジナリティーがある地で挑戦したいと思いました」
　仁淀川町には、野草を摘み、干して野草茶として飲む文化が残っています。その野草茶の商品化に向け、町内で採れる野草の種類や旬の時季、味などを半年かけてデータ化。あわせて地域の方と野草の情報収集や進捗状況を共有する「ハッパカイギ」を開催するうちに野草を仕入れたり、共にお茶づくりをしたりするようになりました。
　2015年に会社を設立し、「摘み草ブレンドティー」を売り出しました。現在は、「ほうじ茶ブレンドティー」や「緑茶ブレンドティー」といったマイボトルのためのブレンドティーやストレートティー、ヒノキを利用したウォーターミストやエッセンシャルオイルなど、幅広い製品を販売しています。
　会社を始めてから感じるのは、自分たちを受け入れてくれた地域の方々への感謝だと話します。これからも地域の一員として過ごしながら、一つ一つの仕事を高めつつ地道に進んでいく。そんな暮らしの中から作り出される品々は、仁淀川の自然の味わいや香りを含み、手にした人の時間を安らぎへと導いてくれます。

tretre is located in Nanokawa, Niyodogawa Town, near the headwaters of the Niyodogawa River. The company is headed by Mr. Taro Takeuchi. He moved to Niyodogawa in 2014 with his wife, Naomi, to pursue his dream of “creating things from daily life. He felt that he could do what he wanted to do in this environment, where life and work are so close. I want to make something that can compete worldwide,” he said. I wanted to challenge myself in a place where there is originality in the land.
In Niyodogawa, there is still a culture of picking wild plants, drying them, and drinking them as wild herb tea. To commercialize the wild grass tea, we spent six months compiling data on the types of wild grasses available in the town, their season, and taste. In addition, they held “happakaigi” meetings to gather information on wildflowers and share progress with local residents, and began to purchase wildflowers and make tea together.

In 2015, we established a company and launched “Pickled Grass Blend Tea”. Today, we sell a wide range of products, including blended and straight teas for your own bottle, such as “Hojicha Blend Tea” and “Green Tea Blend Tea,” as well as water mists and essential oils that utilize the Japanese cypress.
He says that what he feels since starting the company is gratitude to the community that has embraced them. He will continue to spend time as a member of the community and move forward steadily, improving each of his jobs. The products produced from such a lifestyle contain the natural flavors and fragrances of the Niyodo River and bring peace of mind to those who hold them in their hands.