Thailand – Visiting the Village of Kachū (Part 2)
Hello, this is Tomotake Ichikawa, owner of the shop.
We are currently holding our “The One Table” special exhibition
Kachū & Rattan Baskets from Thailand
– Gentle Order, Inner Calm
at our physical store.
The second week will run from April 17 (Thu) to 19 (Sat).
We would be delighted if you could stop by.
We look forward to welcoming you.
We are also introducing and offering the Kachu basket series
on both our official online shop and Rakuten store,
so we hope you enjoy exploring them there as well.
Warm regards,
Now then, this is a continuation from our previous column.
We left Bangkok at dawn and flew to a city in southern Thailand.
From the airport, we headed by car toward our destination—Kachū Village.
We drove for hours. Now and then, small towns and villages would appear and pass by,
followed again by stretches of lush, natural landscapes…
As I gazed out the window, wondering if the road would go on forever,
And suddenly, there it was—this shop that caught our eye!
Our guide, Mr. M:
“It’s still a bit further to Kachu Village, but would you like to stop and take a look here?”
Me:
“Yes, I’d love to!”
Unlike the souvenir shops we saw at the airport, this place felt more like a local wholesaler
specializing in everyday woven goods—humble and practical.
Shops like this are becoming rare, not only in Japan but everywhere.
I definitely wanted to take a closer look—so we hopped out of the car and stepped inside.
They kindly allowed us to take photos, and the shop staff shared many things with us.
First, here it is—round trays and baskets known as maruzaru and marumi. Depending on their use, some are woven loosely, others more tightly. They’re likely used for sorting grains or drying foods. All are made of bamboo. 
They came in a wide range of sizes—from large to small—and the weave spacing also varied. On the right in the photo is a bamboo steaming basket used for cooking sticky rice. 
The baskets stacked low on the left—about five of them—I once heard in Chiang Mai (a city in northern Thailand) that they were traditionally used for harvesting, carrying, and storing rice or other grains. 
Outside the shop, there were many basket-like pieces hanging, shaped like wide-brimmed hats. The weave was incredibly fine and intricate—almost festive in appearance. The material seemed to be bamboo. 
These aren’t actually hats, but “insect-shield baskets.” They’re used as food covers to protect meals and ingredients on the table or in the kitchen from ants and flies. Their vivid colors—woven in bold tropical tones—are strikingly bright and full of character. 
There were many variations of these insect-shield baskets in different sizes and patterns, all well-stocked. In the lush tropics, where insects are a part of daily life, practical wisdom is essential. Seeing the sheer number of these baskets, I realized they are still very much in demand. Each one was finished with a coat of varnish. 
This is called a “khan toke”—a personal-sized Thai-style tray table, traditionally used for special meals in northern regions. Several small dishes are placed on the khan toke and shared during the meal. This one was made of rattan. 
Up near the ceiling of the shop, baskets were stored in large bags, waiting for their turn. Since the shop faces the roadside and has no doors, it’s all the more important to keep them protected from dust and sand. 
Seeing natural baskets stored in plastic bags, I couldn’t help but wonder—won’t they get moldy in Thailand’s humid climate? But perhaps they’re well-dried or finished with varnish, so maybe it’s not a problem after all. 
From the center to the right of the photo, you can see racket-shaped baskets hanging—made from what appears to be rattan. According to our guide, they’re tools used for picking fruit like mangoes from trees! The size of each basket varies depending on the type of fruit. It’s a shape you don’t see in Japan—so interesting! 
And here’s another one. While similar baskets exist in Japan, these are fishing tools. They’re used as traps for catching fish, frogs, or crabs—placed in shallow streams with flowing water. 
This one, which looks a bit like a lampshade, is also a type of fish trap. It’s used for catching fish in shallow rice fields or wetlands. 
There were also many hats made from large leaves. Cone-shaped, they resembled the Vietnamese nón lá. This style of hat is commonly seen across rice-growing regions in Asia. 
Rolled up and tied together here were bamboo blinds—perhaps meant to be spread out and used like mats. On either side, there were various sizes of large pestles and what looked like wooden paddles for rowing boats. 
A large bamboo platform—about the size of a bed where a person could comfortably lie down. It looked like the perfect spot to stretch out and enjoy a relaxing afternoon nap. 
There were also many colorful patterned brooms lined up. The bristles were spread out quite widely—which seems to be the Thai style. 
And there it was, toward the back of the shop—a kachu mat! Perhaps it was a resting spot for the shopkeeper, or maybe for afternoon naps. The mat had a well-worn, beautifully lived-in texture. It made me happy to see how deeply kachu is woven into everyday life in Thailand. 
It was such a fascinating selection of goods! The shop staff were cheerful and welcoming—I was truly grateful for their kindness.
For me, it’s not just the materials, techniques, or uses of baskets that interest me
—I’m also deeply curious about how they circulate and are distributed.
Who are the people making these baskets, how are they transported, and by whom?
What journey do they take to reach another village, and who needs them there?
Learning about these things is not only enjoyable—it feels meaningful to me.
As we talked about all this at the shop, I suddenly checked the time and realized—
“Wait, weren’t we headed to Kachū Village?”
At last, next time, we’ll arrive in Kachū Village.
To be continued.
Tomotake
▽
“The One Table” Exhibition
Kachū & Rattan Baskets from Thailand
– Gentle Order, Inner Calm –
April 2025
10 (Thu), 11 (Fri), 12 (Sat)
17 (Thu), 18 (Fri), 19 (Sat)
24 (Thu), 25 (Fri), 26 (Sat), 27 (Sun)
Open: 11:00–16:00
Physical Store: 1basketry, Minami-Senju, Tokyo. Access
▽▼
Alongside our long-standing selection of “Kachū” (water grass) baskets—well-loved as staples at our shop—this special exhibition also features, for the first time, a collection of “Rattan” baskets.
Materials used for basketry like Kachū are known for their natural suppleness.
When that supple Kachū is tightly woven, it gains strength—making it ideal for everyday use.
With a wide range of styles and sizes, Kachū baskets offer variety and versatility.
They’re light, easy to handle, and reasonably priced—qualities that have made them a favorite among our customers.
The Kachū baskets we carry are crafted by skilled artisans and carefully inspected by hand to ensure high quality.
They’re finished in a simple, natural style that harmonizes beautifully with everyday life in Japan—allowing the texture of the material to shine through.
We warmly invite you to take a look.