Bamboo groves are synonymous with the Japanese landscape, and crafting items from bamboo is one of the oldest technical skills in Japan. Skillfully crafted Japanese bamboo baskets have been used in Buddhist and tea ceremonies for centuries, initially evolved from craftsmen copying Chinese baskets brought into Japan in the 15th, 16th, and early 17th centuries. Master-apprentice lineages were established to pass skills down through the ages. During the twentieth century, individual artisans reinterpreted these traditions to create imaginative forms and vessels for flower arrangements.
