Her father told her to make artwork which only she could make and not to copy his or other people’s works. His words saved her, and she will never forget them.
She currently spends most of my time making accessories with motifs of plants, flowers and small animals. When she goes for a walk and sees flowers and plants, a design often comes to her mind. She feels excited when she designs new items.
Ichii (yew) wood, the wood used for Ichii-Ittōbori, is very beautiful, she says. She aims to create pieces which maximize the beauty of the wood, so she carves each piece gently and carefully.

Ichii-Ittōbori is the name of a particular type of wood carving style which began in the 19th Century. “Ichii” (yew tree) is one of the kinds of trees grown in the mountains of the Hida region. The wood is suitable for carving because of its beautiful grain. Forty to fifty different types of chisels are used to carve yew wood. The carving is characterized by the wood piece being left uncolored, with sharp chisel marks evident on the final products. In addition, the color changes, and the luster increases as the years go by. This style of carving began with small “netsuke,”* but now various products are made—ranging from small key holders to large animal statues and Buddhist statues.