An Encounter with Benjamin, a Basket Maker from Germany (Part 1) 出逢い /ドイツの作り手・ベンジャミンさん （前編）
At our physical shop, we are currently holding “The One Table” special exhibition—
Willow and Hazel Baskets from Germany and Belgium.
As part of this exhibition,
we are presenting and offering for sale hazel and willow baskets made by the German maker Benjamin,
as well as willow baskets created by the Belgian mother-and-child duo, Jeanny and Jefke.
For both makers, this is their first presentation in Japan.
We would be honored if you could take this opportunity to see their work in person.
In this journal, we would like to look back on our encounter with Benjamin, a basket maker from Germany.
We first met Benjamin and began to build a friendship in August 2023,
at the World Wicker and Weaving Festival held in Poznań, Poland.
On the evening before the festival began, a welcoming gathering was held.
By chance, I found myself seated at the same table as Benjamin,
and we were able to talk at length.
We shared beers and conversation—both lighthearted and deep.
I still remember how natural it felt, as if we had known each other for much longer,
despite it being our first meeting.
It is difficult to explain, but while talking with him and another basket maker from Germany,
we found ourselves wrapped in a sense of familiarity—
as if we had shared both hardships and joys for many years,
or as if we were meeting an old friend again after a long time.
There was a quiet, certain feeling of ease.
Later, I spoke about this with Mr. Sasaki from Iwate,
who had joined us on that trip and makes baskets from wild walnut bark.
We both agreed that there had been almost no miscommunication at all
between us and Benjamin and the others.
He was someone who could move easily between lighthearted, humorous conversation and serious discussion.
He listened carefully to what we were saying, and we felt we understood him just as well.
Despite differences in country and culture, we both sensed that a clear and genuine communication had been established.
At that point, however, the live weaving competition had not yet begun,
and we had no idea what kind of basket Benjamin would go on to make.
During our conversation at the welcoming evening, he shared the following with us.
“I honestly don’t know if I’ll be able to finish a basket within the two days of the competition.
(Editor’s note: The task is to complete a single basket as a finished piece over two days.)
Of course, I’ll do my very best, but I’m quite worried.
The materials I use and the way I work take a great deal of time.
So once the competition begins, if visitors ask me too many questions while I’m working,
it really puts me in a difficult position.”
When the night passed and the competition finally began,
there was a noticeable change in his expression.
Compared to the evening before, he carried a far greater sense of focus and seriousness.
Nearby, several baskets he had made were placed as samples.
Even within the busy venue, they stood out with a striking sense of beauty.
As I tried not to interrupt his work and kept my distance, he would occasionally offer a small, self-deprecating joke from his side. I felt a quiet kindness in the way he looked out for me while staying focused on his task. 
Please take a moment to watch the following video,
which shows Benjamin preparing hazel splints at the festival venue in Poland.
To help convey the atmosphere of the space, the audio has been left unedited.
You may hear the voices of other makers’ children chatting nearby,
and toward the latter part of the video, a solemn choral song by a choir from Ukraine
can be heard echoing faintly in the distance.
In the background, another maker can be seen already weaving willow,
with the base of their basket nearly complete.
By contrast, Benjamin is still carefully shaving hazel splints,
continuing the slow preparation of his materials.
As I watched him continue to shave hazel wood without pause, just as shown in this video,
I remember clearly how the meaning of the “worry” he had spoken of the night before
suddenly made sense to me.
At the same time, as I watched his movements and the way he handled his tools and materials,
I became certain that he was a maker who works with great care and intention,
building each basket with steady attention and depth.
The basket completed over those two days had a well-balanced form,
a pleasing sense of proportion, and a firm, reliable feel when held.
In every respect, it felt like a basket one could trust,
and I felt confident introducing it to our customers in Japan.
During the course of the competition, I was fortunate to have several opportunities
to communicate with Benjamin,
gradually deepening our connection.
He had also brought several baskets with him from Germany,
and I was able to purchase a few of them at that time.
A few days later, as the festival came to an end and Benjamin was preparing to leave,
I called out to him from behind and, gathering my courage, made a request.
“I would like to introduce your baskets to our customers in Japan.”
After a brief look of surprise, he replied.
“OK. I’m happy to hear that. It will be my first time sending baskets to Japan.
But I’m sure it will be exciting.”
One and a half years have passed since then,
and it is a great honor to be able to introduce his work to you in this way.
I hope you will have the chance to see his baskets in person at the shop.
Tomotake Ichikawa
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January 2025
9 (Thu), 10 (Fri), 11 (Sat), 12 (Sun), 13 (Mon, public holiday)
16 (Thu), 17 (Fri), 18 (Sat)
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Our physical shop is a small house located in Minami-Senju, Tokyo,
with a sales space of approximately 20 square meters.
At the center of the space sits a generously sized table that seems to occupy the room itself.
On this table, we welcome you with baskets woven from willow and hazel.
The special exhibition is held on the central table.
The surrounding shelves display our regular collection as usual.
Alongside restocked items, we will also be introducing newly arrived pieces.
We invite you to enjoy these as well.
We look forward to welcoming you at the shop.