Tochigi hand made wooden ladle

A large ladle, hand made in Tochigi, Japan, from beech wood. Measuring a generous 30cm x 9.5cm, this ladle can easily cope with the hungriest of dinner guests. With forests covering two thirds of the country, it’s no surprise that woodcarving is one of Japan’s most enduring and refined crafts. The Tochigi area has been home to skilled woodcarvers since the 1600s, and the building of the famous Toshogu Shrine in the area. A more prosaic example, this ladle is nonetheless part of this living tradition.