Feature

Takakura Kogei's Nanbu broom

Takakura Kogei's Nanbu brooms are handmade brooms from Iwate, featuring uniquely curled bristles that capture dirt and dust even vacuum cleaners can't remove. Made from domestically grown broom grass grown without pesticides, each broom is carefully crafted to last.

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What is Nanbu brooms?

Nambu brooms are brooms born from the traditional broom-making techniques of the former Nanbu region in northern Iwate Prefecture. Takakura Kogei uses broom grass grown in Iwate's harsh natural environment to create brooms that take advantage of the strong curl of the bristles. This curl effectively sweeps away dirt tangled in tatami mats, flooring, and carpets.

The crafting process of Nanbu broom

Making Nanbu brooms begins with soil preparation. The soil of the fertile 1.5 hectares of land where the brooms are grown is thoroughly turned over. After composting the previous year's harvested broom grass stalks, the seeds are sown one by one, trampled underfoot, and covered with soil.The harvest finally arrives around the time of the Obon festival. The broom grass grows to about three meters, and is harvested by hand when it is still green and has not yet turned color and drooped. It takes a month and a half to harvest the entire broom. The broom grass is then boiled and sun-dried. Before being braided, veteran artisans carefully select the broom grass by hand and eye. The selected broom grass tips are bundled together and woven into patterns using silk thread to complete the process.

(1) Soil Preparation and Harvesting

In the spring, as the snow melts, soil preparation for making brooms finally begins. Once the soil preparation is complete, the next step is sowing the seeds. The work covers approximately 1.5 hectares (the size of 1.5 Tokyo Domes) and takes place from late May to early June. After composting the previous year's harvested broom grass stalks, the seeds are planted one by one, trampled underfoot, and covered with soil. The harvesting is done by everyone, harvesting each stalk by hand. At this time, those that cannot be used for products are carefully selected.

(2) Sorting / Threshing / Boiling

After the broom grass is harvested, the heads are aligned before threshing. Once the heads are aligned, the broom grass can finally be threshed. After threshing is complete, the broom grass is thoroughly dried, but by blanching before drying, it retains its color. Here, the broom grass is quickly blanched in a boiling kettle.

(3) Drying / Sorting

The broom grass is then dried in the sun within six days. Failure to do so will result in mold and render it unusable for products. Of course, the weather and temperature are of paramount concern, but humidity are also important considerations. Once drying is complete, it takes about a month for a team of about five people to sort the brooms into 15 categories. The highest quality products require further scrutiny.

(4) Weaving

Using selected materials and silk thread, each broom grass is woven one by one. The process of bundling the broom grass tips and weaving them into a single broom is physically demanding. The silk thread is then used to weave the pattern, completing the process. The highest quality products use custom-made gold thread. The weaving stitches are very small, making this a difficult technique. There are over 60 different items, including long-handled brooms, single-handed brooms, Tomoe brooms, and mini brooms convenient for brushing Japanese clothing and computer keyboards. Some of the highest quality products take more than three years to complete.

What Makes This Artisan's incense So Special

The broom grass is grown without pesticides, and everything from soil preparation to production is done by hand.
The broom grass used is strong and durable domestically grown broom grass that has endured Iwate's harsh winds and snow.
The strongly curled tips of the bristles provide excellent cleaning power, trapping debris.

The workshop

Iwate, Japan

Takakura Kogei has been a farming family for generations, crafting brooms from growing broom grass. Working hand in hand with Iwate's natural environment, they cultivate broom grass without the use of pesticides, harvesting, sorting, and weaving each broom by hand. While this is a demanding job, they value their involvement with the materials themselves, and are mindful of the health and environment of their users. Encouraged by comments like "I can't put it down" and "I'm glad I used it," they continue to make Pikaichi Nanbu brooms in Iwate today.

Use cases

Removing hair and pet hair tangled in carpets and rugs.
Sweeping dust, lint, and cigarette ash from tatami mats and flooring.
Daily cleaning up fine debris that is difficult to remove with a vacuum cleaner.

FAQ

Does it really remove more dirt than a vacuum cleaner?

The uniquely curled tips trap debris, allowing it to sweep up even the dust that tends to remain in a vacuum cleaner.

Can it be used for a long time?

Depending on how it's used, it can last for decades, with some users having used it for over 20 years.