I bring a packed lunch to work. When it came time to replace my worn-out plastic lunchbox, I decided—after careful consideration—to purchase the “magewappa” I’d long admired during a trip to Akita a few years ago, and I still use it to this day.
A “magewappa” is a traditional Japanese wooden container (bentwood craft) made by softening thin strips of cedar or cypress with hot water and bending them into a curved shape. Major production areas include the Kiso region of Nagano Prefecture, Hinoemata Village in Fukushima Prefecture, and Fukuoka City in Fukuoka Prefecture; depending on the region, it is sometimes called a “menpa.”
The one I use is the “Odate Magewappa” from Shibata Yoshinobu Shoten in Odate City, Akita Prefecture—an unvarnished “natural wood finish” version. While some are lacquered or coated with urethane, making them easy to handle with oily foods or detergents, I find that the unvarnished version keeps rice from becoming sticky thanks to the wappa’s natural humidity-regulating properties, and the rice tastes delicious even when it cools down. Cedar is known for its natural antibacterial properties and light weight, and this design allows you to fully appreciate the beautiful straight-grained pattern.
This “Odate Magewappa” is registered as a regional collective trademark and is protected as a regional brand.
https://www.jpo.go.jp/e/system/trademark/gaiyo/chidan/document/tiikibrand/chiiki2014.pdf (Page 20)
The overall design of the Magewappa is exceptionally beautiful. While it is traditionally used as a bento box, new applications—such as goldfish bowls and champagne coolers—have also emerged. Additionally, the “kaba-toji” (birch bark stitching) technique—a traditional method of securing the joints of the bent wood with mountain cherry bark—features a variety of patterns.
Among these, the three types—“Komochi-zumi,” “Uroko-zumi,” and “Ryō-uroko-zumi”—were devised by Yoshinobu Shibata, who studied ancient bentwood crafts, and have been passed down to the present day as kaba-toji patterns; they were registered as trademarks in 2023.
https://magewappa.com/pages/about-kabatoji
In modern times, “kaba-toji” has taken on a stronger decorative significance than its original purpose of securing the wood, and it is also appealing as a design element that shapes the character of the bentwood lunchbox. Admiring the beautiful patterns of “kaba-toji” created by the artisans’ handiwork is one of the joys of using a bentwood lunchbox. The fact that this beauty is protected as a trademark serves as a reminder of the importance of intellectual property in traditional crafts. (Syszo)
Shibata Yoshinobu Shoten | Wappa Building (Japanese only)