History - the beginning
The history of the famous IWAYADO furniture dates back to the age of the Fujiwara family, a family which had signified the cultural and political character of Japanese heritage in the 1100's. One of the rulers among the Fujiwara family, Kiyohira, encouraged his people to develop the industry of handicrafts. The main products at that time were trunks (Nagamochi, in Japanese), not quite the same as today's drawers or chests.
In the feudal age in Japan, Lord Muramasa Iwaki, the ruler of the Iwayado area decided to inspire the manufacturing industry for the advancing economic structure which had previously been dependend on rice-centered agriculture. He ordered a member of his staff, Mozaemon Mishina, to create a new style of drawers with casters and fine furnishing with lacquer painting and metal ornaments in the 1780's. Two craftsmen, Kihei and Daikichi mastered iron work in order to realize this goal. The most valuable contribution to the development of Iwayado furniture was the creation of elaborately engraved metal fittings by Tokubei in the 1820's. As these arts and skills became a good tradition among the craftsmen, Iwayado furniture production became more widespread.
