Honoring Traditional Techniques and the Spirit of Prayer

In the 17th and 18th centuries, as adherence to Buddhism spread among ordinary people and its temples became widespread, family altars, known as butsudan, came into use. Tokyo Butsudan is recognized as a comprehensive art form that embodies Tokyo’s wide range of traditional crafts, including intricate carvings with traditional motifs, multiple lacquer coatings that highlight the natural beauty of the wood grain, and precise nailless Japanese joinery known as sashimono.

Tokyo Butsudan has its origins in the mid-Edo period and is renowned for its simple yet durable construction that highlights the natural beauty of wood, crafted from fine exotic and precious woods, such as ebony, rosewood, mulberry, and Yakusugi cedar.
The Iwata Butsudan Seisakusho, which produces Tokyo Butsudan, was established in 1927 (Showa 2). Takashi Iwata, the third-generation craftsman, is a certified traditional craftsman of Tokyo, alongside his father Haruyoshi and his uncle Yoshiki. He carries on traditional techniques passed down from the Edo period, we meticulously crafts everything from large butsudan to modern, compact designs.

The Buddhist altars crafted by Iwata Butsudan Seisakusho are made with genuine care, ensuring that even the more compact designs retain essential elements of temple architecture, such as the shumidan (platform for placing sacred objects) and gouten (decorative ceiling). These altars are filled with deep-seated sentiments, designed to be used and cherished for generations.

Iwata Butsudan Seisakusho Limited
Takashi Iwata, Haruyoshi Iwata, Yoshiki Iwata
Head office: 2-4-9,Shimo, Kita-ku,Tokyo 115-0042
TEL: 03-3901-1693
Workshop: 2-32-3 Maekawa, Kawaguchi-shi, Saitama 333-0842
TEL&FAX: 048-269-3500
iwatabutudan@yahoo.co.jp
https://iwatabutsudan.localinfo.jp/