Gekkosou charcoal begins with a single artisan, a former Gekkosou staff member and charcoal maker, who cultivates willow logs from scratch. With an almost unimaginable amount of care and time, each box is prepared and delivered to our store.
Willow branches harvested during the winter are submerged in large pots filled with water, allowing them to absorb plenty of moisture. This makes the bark easier to remove and, by spring, the roots fill the pots.
Each branch is carefully debarked and trimmed to length before being taken to a handmade kiln built deep in the mountains of Izu. The artisan tends the fire at the kiln all night long.
The sight of smoke rising from the kiln and slowly blending into Japan's rich natural landscape is like a scene from a Japanese folktale. Its beauty makes you forget the passage of time.
Once the charcoal is fired, it is carefully sorted by thickness. Then, packed into boxes with the hope that it will find its way to a wonderful work of art, it is displayed at our store in Ginza.
Please watch the video to see the story of how a single piece of charcoal is born.
