Kohsho Oiwa

   At the end of the Edo period, Tea tree
dolls (called netsuke strap)　which depict
women in tea-picking costume , were created by the tea master Seisen  Kambayashi(1801~70).

   The Tea tree is believed to have strong lives because of the many roots
in the ground and the coming forth
many new tea leaves.

   The Tea tree is a symbol of good health, good birth, and lucky encounters.

    I started to carve Tea tree dolls in 2011.
Even by the citizens of Uji, they were not well known goods at that time.

    But I started to display tea tree dolls
 at the Uji tea events a few times a year
 with tea tree dolls research worker, Mr.Masaru Tanaka.
    I now feel Tea tree dolls are certainly becoming known little by little.
    Nowadays there are not many people who drinking Japanese tea by using a tea pot.
    I would like to help many people to have the chance to know and drink uji tea.
    I would like to continue to carve and introduce Tea tree dolls as my life work.