Kamakura-bori is now well known and popular worldwide as the elegant and traditional woodcarving, lacquerware produced in the Kamakura area of Japan. Almost 700 years ago, Kamakura flourished as Japanese capital, important center of politics and culture. They imported lots of Sung style culture from China. They blended Japanese traditional Buddhism arts technique into Sung style, especially influenced by Tsuishu(*). That is the origin of Kamakura-bori.These objects were mainly seen alter fittings for Buddhist temples. * relief-like woodcarving elaborately coated with red Urushi lacquer.

During the Momoyama (1578-1602) and the Edo(1603-1867) periods, Kamakura-bori became popular with the nobility and the ruling military class through the medium of the tea ceremony. The manufacture of Kamakura-bori declined at the end of the Edo period. Also the Meiji (1868-1912) period was the hardest time for Kamakura-bori, due to new government policy, Shintoism, anti-Buddhism was proceeded. Only Mitsuhashi-ke and Gotoh-ke were left. (Both of them are major families of sculptors of Buddhist images in Kamakura.) Through the efforts of small number of carvers of Buddhist statues, Kamakura-bori was maintained by adapting their techniques to the production of objects more suited to a contemporary lifestyle. They tried and succeeded to open the new page of Kamakura-bori history, challenging exhibitions and competitions of art craft in overseas. In 1979, Kamakura-bori was authorized as a Traditional Handicrafts by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. We are very proud of Hakkodo, owned by Gotoh. It is always with Kamakura-bori history and is in a leading position to appeal world-wide. Gotoh Shuntaro (1923- ) The president of Hakkodo Co.,Ltd. 1948 Graduated at Tokyo Fine Art School (present Tokyo National University of Fine Art & Music) 1949 Succeeded to Kamakura-bori Hakkodo and the 28th master in descent of the family from Gotoh Unkyu, the 27th. 1960 The first Chairperson of Kamakura-bori Masters Committee. 1981 Awarded Blue Ribbon Medal, was decollated with the 5th Order of the Rising Sun. Gotoh Keiko(1954- ) Shuntaro's eldest daughter 1976 Graduated at Tokyo National University of Fine Art & Music, Technical Art Department. Chief designer of Hakkodo.

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