Hashikura Matsukan

Creating excitement with chopsticks

Matsukan is a chopstick maker based in Obama, Fukui Prefecture, a major production center of lacquered chopsticks with roots in Wakasa lacquerware, creating excitement through chopsticks.

Obama, Home of Lacquered Chopsticks

Obama in Fukui Prefecture, facing the only ria coast on the Sea of Japan and blessed with abundant food ingredients, is also a “miketsukuni” that has supported the imperial court's food since ancient times. “Wakasa lacquerware,” a traditional craft handed down for about 400 years since the Edo period, was created by turning the scenery of the beautiful and rich seabed of Wakasa Bay into designs.
As times changed, Wakasa lacquerware has been carried on, transforming from a luxury item for samurai and merchants into lacquered chopsticks that make the most of two traits: sturdiness and beauty. Today, more than 70% of the lacquered chopsticks produced in Japan are made in Obama, and the chopstick industry has become one of Obama's key industries.

Urushi Raden WAKASA

The original motivation for creating Urushi Raden WAKASA was the voices of customers who visited our physical store.

“I want chopsticks with Wakasa lacquerware raden inlay, but they are all old-fashioned designs... many are too flashy to use at the everyday table. I'd be happy to find something with raden scattered more elegantly that I can use without fuss.”

Learning that such needs were not uncommon, we wondered whether we could make new chopsticks that faithfully carry on the Wakasa lacquerware design of “urushi” and “raden” while also fitting the modern dining table. The result is this Urushi Raden WAKASA.
Urushi Raden WAKASA Hexagonal 22cm
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