The can design is decided
Kurama no Mizu Sansho Ale
The can design is decided: white, with sansho leaves and berries running across it. Brewed with sansho grown by the Imae family for generations, it pours a pale gold close to an ordinary pilsner. We are preparing it for sale and will announce details when confirmed.
About Kurama Kobo
Helping create work opportunities in Kurama.
I was born in Kurama-Ninose and grew up surrounded by its forests and rivers. I want to help create work opportunities so younger generations can continue working here. That is what Kurama Kobo is for. We turn Kurama cedar, dye with Kyoto madder, and make products. We are also creating a place for experiences unique to Kurama.
To hold something made here is to become a small part of this place’s continuing story.
Products in preparation
Keep a little of Kurama’s forest close.
“Kurama no Mizu Sansho Ale” and tumblers made from thinned Kurama cedar. The sansho has been grown by the Imae family for generations, and the cedar grew in Kurama’s mountains. Both are being prepared for sale. We will announce the timing on this site and by email when confirmed.
Experiences
Something you can only make in Kurama.
Shape chopsticks from thinned Kurama cedar. Dye fabric with Kyoto madder, a plant that grows wild in Kurama and was traditionally used to dye cords for shrines, temples, and armor.
Shape a piece of cedar and the room smells of it for a while.
You cannot tell that a Kyoto madder root is red until you simmer it.
Both come from this mountain.
Getting to know Kurama.
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The place called Kurama
Read moreAbout an hour north of central Kyoto lies a village in a cedar-lined valley, where the sound of the river fills the air. With Mount Kurama, 569 meters high, behind it, houses line the narrow strip of flat land along the river.
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Kura Map
View the mapKurama Onsen, Kurama Tsujii, and the Tree Root Path: three places we hope you will visit when you come to Kurama.
Imae’s stories from Kurama
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Sansho ramen in Kurama - Kishimoto Shoten
Kishimoto Shoten stands in front of Kurama Station on the Eizan Railway. It is run by a classmate of mine from primary school.It is a wooden building with a nostalgic...
Sansho ramen in Kurama - Kishimoto Shoten
Kishimoto Shoten stands in front of Kurama Station on the Eizan Railway. It is run by a classmate of mine from primary school.It is a wooden building with a nostalgic...
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Renovation of the workshop has begun
Renovation of the building that will become the workshop has begun.When the ceiling came away, thick beams appeared. New rafters are being fitted and insulation laid in the roof space.The...
Renovation of the workshop has begun
Renovation of the building that will become the workshop has begun.When the ceiling came away, thick beams appeared. New rafters are being fitted and insulation laid in the roof space.The...
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Picking Kyoto madder
What is used for madder dyeing is the root.It takes three years to grow. We grow it in a field in Ninose and at Shizuhara-en on Yakuo-zaka.We will dig it...
Picking Kyoto madder
What is used for madder dyeing is the root.It takes three years to grow. We grow it in a field in Ninose and at Shizuhara-en on Yakuo-zaka.We will dig it...
Get involved
Would you like to help create this place?
Kurama Kobo is not a place Imae will build alone. The ground floor will house a shop and café, and upstairs will be a space for experiences. We welcome inquiries from people who would like to display their products, hold classes, or make something with Kurama’s materials.
Access
Getting to Kurama Kobo
We are right in front of the Kurama Onsen bus stop, a 12-minute walk from Kurama Station on the Eizan Railway. You can also take a bus bound for Kurama Onsen.