Yamagata Yoshida Paulownia Box Store Co., Ltd. Revival from closure! A long-established paulownia box workshop has restarted as “Yamagata Yoshida Paulownia Box Store” with the Japanese Handicrafts Illustrated Guide.

[Yamagata Yoshida Paulownia Box Store Co., Ltd.] Revival after closure! A long-established paulownia box workshop restarts as “Yamagata Yoshida Paulownia Box Shop” with the “Illustrated Guide to Japanese Handicrafts” ​
Yamagata Yoshida Paulownia Box Store Co., Ltd. Press Release: October 1, 2025 To Members of the Press Back from closure! Long-established paulownia box workshop restarts as “Yamagata Yoshida Paulownia Box Shop” with the Japanese Handicraft Encyclopedia On October 1, 2025, Yoshida Co., Ltd. will restart as a new company. Yoshida Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of paulownia wood boxes in Yamagata Prefecture, was forced to close in June 2025. However, the company was reorganized by Nippon Handicraft Illustrated Company, a company that develops solutions to issues surrounding traditional crafts and handicrafts. ) and Yamagata Yoshida Kiribakoten Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture; President and CEO: Yuki Kondo) will be established on September 20, 2025, with full-scale operations beginning on October 1. In order to pass on to the next generation the skills and craftsmanship that have been passed down in Yamagata for nearly 100 years, we will begin our journey as a new company with support from the Nippon Handicraft Illustrated Guide.
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The existence of “Paulownia Boxes” that supported Yamagata’s industry The history of Yoshida Limited, the predecessor of the new company, Yamagata Yoshida Paulownia Box Store Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Yamagata Yoshida Paulownia Box Store), dates back to 1930 (Showa 5), ​​when founder Chosuke Yoshida began making paulownia boxes using his skills as a woodcarver. In 1955, the company expanded its business by pioneering the creation of paulownia boxes for local industries such as Yonezawa textiles and Yamagata casting, as well as for Yamagata’s specialty cherries. Since taking over the business under Yoshida Nagayoshi, who continues to produce the products, the company has taken on the challenge of developing new products suited to modern life, such as the “Paulownia Rice Box” and the “Book Shosoin” paulownia bookcase. The product was so well-received that it won the Good Design Award in 2015 and the Grand Prix in the Crafts and Miscellaneous Goods category at the “Japan’s Treasures JAPAN Grand Prix” in 2019. In 2022, Yoshida Paulownia Boxes Ltd. was recognized for its contributions to Yamagata City’s traditional crafts industry with the Yamagata City Traditional Crafts Industry Technology Merit Award, further cementing its reputation as a trusted company. However, despite producing many excellent products, we have made the difficult decision to close the curtains on our 95-year history in the face of the harsh realities surrounding traditional craftsmanship. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/170514/2/170514-2-2bdcc41c87332fc64136a2a0b9b114f5-2012×1050.png Going forward, we will continue to propose new value for paulownia boxes to make them more accessible. Aspirations for the revival of Yamagata Yoshida Paulownia Box Store Although the curtains have fallen, our desire to pass on the “Yamagata Paulownia Box” technique, which remains unique in Yamagata Prefecture, and our passion for craftsmanship to the next generation remains. Therefore, we have restarted as “Yamagata Yoshida Paulownia Box Store” under the supervision of Nippon Handicraft Illustrated, which has extensive knowledge of creating value in traditional crafts, including successor training and product development projects in traditional craft production areas across the country. While inheriting the “Yoshida” name and cherishing our traditions, we aim to create new forms of products and experiences that “Yoshida” alone could not create, and deliver them to as many people as possible. With this in mind, we have embarked on a new start. We also sincerely hope that the challenge of Yamagata Yoshida Paulownia Box Store will inspire artisans and production areas who have been in the same situation and given up on passing on their craft to the next generation to get back on their feet. We will begin by expanding our business in Yamagata Prefecture, where we were founded, and then throughout Japan, reaching out to a wide range of people to discover the potential of paulownia wood boxes. We also intend to further expand our product lineup, which meets modern needs and was developed by our predecessor, Yoshida Limited Company. And so, Yamagata Yoshida Kiribako Store’s journey begins, with the hope of one day spreading the charm of paulownia boxes to the world and, as “Kiribako,” sharing the wonder of Japan’s traditional crafts with even more people.

https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/170514/2/170514-2-2178e1ada7c558823e680e6de9ce2d7d-3900×581.png [Company Profile] Yamagata Yoshida Paulownia Box Store Co., Ltd. 6-8 Itsukamachi, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture, 990-0829 Url https://kiribako-yamagata.jp/ Tel 023-610-9515 Mail
contact@kiribako-yamagata.jp Contact: President and CEO Yuki Kondo For more information about this release