In a Cage

In a Cage

Designed at date May, 2017
Materials
  • Wedding cake tree (Dogwood)
  • Red toon
  • Japanese cherry
Dimensions 76 mm x 51 mm x 51 mm
Summary I designed this box for a special order from a customer. The inner box moves right and left in the outer frame and rotates. It takes about ten times to open. The structure is surprisingly simple, but it is not easy to open. It won the 2017 Nob Yoshigahara Puzzle Design Competition Jury Honorable Mention.
Kakoi

Kakoi

Designed at date August, 2016
Materials
  • Monarch birch
  • Black walnut
  • Japanese cherry
Dimensions 100 mm x 100 mm x 100 mm
Summary This is the box with two colors. The box which got an idea from a Japanese kanji letter like "Tagai". It won the 2017 Nob Yoshigahara Puzzle Design Competition Jury Grand Prize.
Mr. Monkey

Mr. Monkey

Designed at date December, 2015
Materials
  • Hokkaido bird cherry
  • Red toon
  • Wenge
  • Japanese nutmeg-yew
  • Mahogany
Dimensions 80 mm x 48 mm x 83 mm
Summary This sneaky monkey may be lurking around some Japanese world heritage sights. Don’t take the bait, even if you see him! 2016 Nob Yoshigahara Puzzle Design Competition Top 10 Vote.
Tagai Red

Tagai Red

Designed at date October, 2015
Materials
  • Black walnut
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Katsura tree
  • Japanese nutmeg-yew
  • Red toon
Dimensions 102 mm x 82 mm x 78 mm
Summary I designed this as a Christmas present for 2012. However, I did not adopt it into my regular products because it cost too much to make.I thought that it was a shame that I couldn’t regularly make this. Therefore, I redesigned it to make it more affordable to produce.
Tagai

Tagai

Designed at date October, 2015
Materials
  • Black walnut
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Katsura tree
  • Japanese nutmeg-yew
Dimensions 102 mm x 82 mm x 78 mm
Summary I designed this as a Christmas present for 2012. However, I did not adopt it into my regular products because it cost too much to make. I thought that it was a shame that I couldn’t regularly make this. Therefore, I redesigned it to make it more affordable to produce.
Sheep

Sheep

Designed at date December, 2014
Materials
  • Wedding cake tree (Dogwood)
  • Monarch birch
Dimensions 95 mm x 63 mm x 60 mm
Summary One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, four… .Get a good nights rest and sweet dreams.
Dona Dona plus

Dona Dona plus

Designed at date September, 2014
Materials
  • Black walnut
  • Wedding cake tree (Dogwood)
  • Japanese raisin tree
Dimensions 92 mm x 63 mm x 90 mm
Summary I added 4 legs to one of my works produced as a Christmas present in 2008. The music box has been removed and a new device added.
Perfect Dona Dona

Perfect Dona Dona

Designed at date September, 2014
Materials
  • Black walnut
  • Wedding cake tree (Dogwood)
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Music box
Dimensions 92 mm x 63 mm x 90 mm
Summary I added 4 legs to my work produced as a Christmas present in 2008. There is a music box inside. The music is "Dona Dona" which was composed by Sholom Secunda. The legs are a decoration.
Gardenia

Gardenia

Designed at date December, 2013
Materials
  • Katsura tree
  • Monarch birch
Dimensions 105 mm x 114 mm x 90 mm
Summary It is a Japanese chessboard. The piece is only a knight. Please enjoy the game of go with the craftsman. The person watching must not say anything.
Flemin' plus

Flemin' plus

Designed at date July, 2013
Materials
  • Monarch birch
  • Black walnut
Dimensions 69 mm x 69 mm x 69 mm
Summary "The size is larger than Flemin'. But the storage space is smaller, because the construction has been changed. This work has the same mechanism."

No Image

no image

Uroboros

Designed at date December, 2012
Materials
  • Katsura tree
Dimensions 140 mm x 100 mm x 108 mm
Summary Uroboros is an ancient symbol of a serpent or dragon who eats his own tail, symbolizing self reflexivity. Although he must feel pain by doing so, he is in a constant state of recreating himself, thus the circular shape.

No Image

no image

Reincarnation

Designed at date March, 2012
Materials
  • Japanese cherry
  • Black walnut
Dimensions 81 mm x 81 mm x 81 mm
Summary This version is remade. The materials were changed. The mechanism is the same.
Dragon Wings

Dragon Wings

Designed at date December, 2011
Materials
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Black walnut
Dimensions 194 mm x 78 mm x 67 mm
Summary In the pitch darkness of night you can hear the fearsome roar. The dragon spreads open both of its wings and will fly away at any moment. Is that it? Its stomach looks too heavy to fly. It's bound to fly sometime in the big open sky.

No Image

no image

TNK

Designed at date November, 2011
Materials
  • Red toon
  • Japanese cherry
  • Black walnut
  • Japanese raisin tree
Dimensions 65 mm x 65 mm x 65 mm
Summary This work has the same mechanism as Flemin'. This work's motif is "Raccoon dog". The raccoon dog can disguise itself. This box “Flemin”, is its disguise, but it forgets to hide its tail away.

No Image

no image

Reincarnation

Designed at date June, 2011
Materials
  • Japanese cherry
  • Black walnut
  • Rengas
  • Movingui (Ayan)
  • Katsura tree
Dimensions 81 mm x 81 mm x 81 mm
Summary The work "Recycling Box" was made 10 years ago.The craftsman wanted Japan to revive from the big earthquake, so he redesigned "Recycling Box" .The original work had dynamic movement, and was simple to open.This reincarnated version is just as dynamic and I think you will be pleasantly surprised as well.
Magic Hat

Magic Hat

Designed at date December, 2010
Materials
  • Katsura tree
  • Black walnut
  • Red toon
Dimensions 90 mm x 90 mm x 130 mm
Summary The Baron Rabbit comes out from the magic hat. He came out without listening to what the magician said. So, he lost his paws. \(You can't do magic by this hat, sorry.\)

No Image

no image

W-O L type C

Designed at date July, 2010
Materials
  • Monarch birch
  • Black walnut
Dimensions 100 mm x 100 mm x 100 mm
Summary This work is the large version of "W-O". You can open the 4 small storage spaces with five moves.

No Image

no image

W-O L type B

Designed at date July, 2010
Materials
  • Monarch birch
  • Rengas
Dimensions 100 mm x 100 mm x 100 mm
Summary This work is the large version of "W-O". You can open the 4 small storage spaces with five moves.

No Image

no image

W-O L type A

Designed at date July, 2010
Materials
  • Rengas
  • Black walnut
Dimensions 100 mm x 100 mm x 100 mm
Summary This work is the large version of "W-O". You can open the 4 small storage spaces with five moves.
Flemin'

Flemin'

Designed at date June, 2010
Materials
  • Japanese cherry
  • Rengas
  • Wedding cake tree (Dogwood)
Dimensions 65 mm x 65 mm x 65 mm
Summary Go this way and that……
Sweet Tooth Tiger

Sweet Tooth Tiger

Designed at date December, 2009
Materials
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Black walnut
  • Wedding cake tree (Dogwood)
  • Rengas
Dimensions 90 mm x 65 mm x 72 mm
Summary This work, "Tiger" must be made from the Japanese raisin tree. The nose was made from the material which remained after the chin was made. Walnut modeled the design of the tiger. Sometimes troubling procedures need to be omitted. In last year's 'Dona Dona' some troublesome procedures were omitted.was omitted. But it produced an unexpected effect. Everything didn't turn out smoothly.
Dona Dona 2008

Dona Dona 2008

Designed at date December, 2008
Materials
  • Black walnut
  • Wedding cake tree (Dogwood)
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Music box
Dimensions 92 mm x 63 mm x 65 mm
Summary This work was designed as a Christmas present for 2008. 2009 is the Year of the Ox, and this work was designed for that reason. There is a music box inside. The music is "Dona Dona" that was composed by Sholom Secunda.
Cheese de Chu

Cheese de Chu

Designed at date December, 2007
Materials
  • Hokkaido bird cherry
  • Black walnut
Dimensions 90 mm x 70 mm x 53 mm
Summary There is a little mouse on the mouth watering cheese. It has an interesting motion. How do you open it?
Sawing Box

Sawing Box

Designed at date May, 2007
Materials
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Red toon
  • Black walnut
  • Bitterwood
Dimensions 112 mm x 112 mm x 76 mm
Summary Two trick boxes, "Pincushion" and "Spool" with also a case.
Hoop

Hoop

Designed at date December, 2006
Materials
  • Hokkaido bird cherry
  • Black walnut
Dimensions 78 mm x 62 mm x 61 mm
Summary The appearance looks like a standard type pillbox. But, when you open it, it moves in unexpected ways. The designer gave priority to the "unexpected motion" rather than the inner space when he designed it. But, a little device was added in the final step to open it. Maybe it is easy to open. It takes 5 steps to be opened.
Small Hermit Crab Box C

Small Hermit Crab Box C

Designed at date October, 2006
Materials
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Rengas
  • Katsura tree
Dimensions 80 mm x 80 mm x 40 mm
Summary This is a popular edition of The Hermit Crab Box. It has the same system. The partition plate of the drawer was reduced. Maybe it's convenient to put any small objects into it.

No Image

no image

Small Hermit Crab Box B

Designed at date October, 2006
Materials
  • Rengas
  • Black walnut
  • Katsura tree
Dimensions 80 mm x 80 mm x 40 mm
Summary This is a popular edition of The Hermit Crab Box. It has the same system. The partition plate of the drawer was reduced. Maybe it's convenient to put any small objects into it.
Small Hermit Crab Box A

Small Hermit Crab Box A

Designed at date October, 2006
Materials
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Black walnut
  • Katsura tree
Dimensions 80 mm x 80 mm x 40 mm
Summary This is a popular edition of The Hermit Crab Box. It has the same system. The partition plate of the drawer was reduced. Maybe it's convenient to put any small objects into it.
Goblet Secret Box red toon

Goblet Secret Box red toon

Designed at date January, 2006
Materials
  • Red toon
  • Wenge
  • Katsura tree
Dimensions 120 mm x 54 mm x 74 mm
Summary This was made in the image of the Rubin's goblet (vase). It will be difficult for six days, coming and going... (it can be opened in 6 moves.)
Goblet Secret Box silky oak

Goblet Secret Box silky oak

Designed at date January, 2006
Materials
  • Shilky oak
  • Wenge
  • Katsura tree
Dimensions 120 mm x 54 mm x 74 mm
Summary This was made in the image of the Rubin's goblet (vase). It will be difficult for six days, coming and going... (it can be opened in 6 moves.)
Free Dial

Free Dial

Designed at date December, 2005
Materials
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Red toon
  • Black walnut
Dimensions 70 mm x 66 mm x 63 mm
Summary Actually in this tiny box is loaded the enchanted power! Try! Let's turn the red dial in the front of the box. What happened? Probably it will be fantastic things. You might have a romance, might receive a message from somebody that lives far off in the Universe, or...?
W-Z type B

W-Z type B

Designed at date May, 2005
Materials
  • Japanese cherry
  • Rengas
Dimensions 90 mm x 90 mm x 90 mm
Summary You can transform the cube into two shapes, 4 patterns. The mechanism is unlocked, and you can always transform it freely. The space inside is small and the craftsman doesn't recommend you to put it for practical use. I think that this work is a transformable object. Therefore not only the facing, but also the inner parts are made by different materials.

No Image

no image

W-O

Designed at date May, 2005
Materials
  • Rengas
  • Black walnut
Dimensions 90 mm x 90 mm x 90 mm
Summary The craftsman added some more locks to the W-Z, and designed this W-O. I modified the motion from the W-Z. You can open the 4 small storage spaces with five moves. It takes a lot of times to make for complex mechanism, however it is worthwhile work. It won 2005 Puzzle Design Competition Puzzlers' Award and First Prize.
W-Z type A

W-Z type A

Designed at date May, 2005
Materials
  • Japanese cherry
  • Black walnut
Dimensions 90 mm x 90 mm x 90 mm
Summary You can transform the cube into two shapes, 4 patterns. The mechanism is unlocked, and you can always transform it freely. The space inside is small and the craftsman doesn't recommend you to put it for practical use. I think that this work is a transformable object. Therefore not only the facing, but also the inner parts are made by different materials.
Hermit Crab Box (walnut)

Hermit Crab Box (walnut)

Designed at date April, 2004
Materials
  • Black walnut
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Japanese magnolia
Dimensions 100 mm x 100 mm x 54 mm
Summary Small boxes come out from the box one after another. Enjoy the movement that look like a hermit crab goes out of his own shell. It's a little difficult to find the first step. At first it was designed as a more difficult puzzle, however it was redesigned more simply for the movement. It won The Third All Japan Wooden Crafts Competition Silver Prize.
Hermit Crab Box (hound's-tooth check)

Hermit Crab Box (hound's-tooth check)

Designed at date April, 2004
Materials
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Black walnut
  • Japanese magnolia
Dimensions 100 mm x 100 mm x 54 mm
Summary Small boxes come out from the box one after another. Enjoy the movement that look like a hermit crab goes out of his own shell. It's a little difficult to find the first step. At first it was designed as a more difficult puzzle, however it was redesigned more simply for the movement. It won The Third All Japan Wooden Crafts Competition Silver Prize.
Hermit Crab Box

Hermit Crab Box

Designed at date April, 2004
Materials
  • Japanese raisin tree
  • Black walnut
  • Japanese magnolia
Dimensions 100 mm x 100 mm x 54 mm
Summary Small boxes come out from the box one after another. Enjoy the movement that look like a hermit crab goes out of his own shell. It's a little difficult to find the first step. At first it was designed as a more difficult puzzle, however it was redesigned more simply for the movement. It won The Third All Japan Wooden Crafts Competition Silver Prize.
Monkeys’ Palanquin

Monkeys’ Palanquin

Designed at date June, 2003
Materials
  • Black walnut
  • Katsura tree
  • Rosewood
Dimensions 129 mm x 89 mm x 63 mm
Summary This box was created in the summer 2003. On January 2004. I retired from a Yosegi company, and began to work alone. After that, this box is the first product. This looks like a traditional secret box, but you will be surprised to find the unique movement. This box was named from the structure that looks like a nursery rhyme, two monkies carried small compartment and went over the hard Hakone pass. It won 2004 Puzzle Design Competition First Prize.
Small stellated dodecahedron secret box B

Small stellated dodecahedron secret box B

Designed at date August, 2001
Materials
  • Peru walnut
  • Japanese lacquer tree
  • Makore (Baku, Cherry mahogany, African cherry)
  • Mansonia (Aprono)
  • Katsura tree
  • Japanese magnolia
Dimensions 125 mm x 125 mm x 125 mm
Summary All the 12 spikes move, but you can't open it with just 12 moves. It takes 28 moves to open. Can you open it? Only the color is different between these two products.
Small stellated dodecahedron secret box A

Small stellated dodecahedron secret box A

Designed at date August, 2001
Materials
  • Black walnut
  • Katsura tree
  • Japanese magnolia
Dimensions 125 mm x 125 mm x 125 mm
Summary All the 12 spikes move, but you can't open it with just 12 moves. It takes 28 moves to open. Can you open it? Only the color is different between these two products.

No Image

no image

Whorl C

Designed at date April, 2001
Materials
  • Peru walnut
  • Katsura tree
  • Rengas
  • Bitterwood
  • Japanese magnolia
  • Oak
Dimensions 85 mm x 85 mm x 85 mm
Summary This is a developed Secret Box. You can slide the plate as a whorl, or in a circular motion. A plate moves but the motion is epoch-making, and different from traditional ones. The name gives you a big hint.
Whorl B

Whorl B

Designed at date April, 2001
Materials
  • Peru walnut
  • Katsura tree
  • Wedding cake tree (Dogwood)
Dimensions 85 mm x 85 mm x 85 mm
Summary This is a developed Secret Box. You can slide the plate as a whorl, or in a circular motion. A plate moves but the motion is epoch-making, and different from traditional ones. The name gives you a big hint.

No Image

no image

Solo D

Designed at date April, 2001
Materials
  • Peru walnut
  • Katsura tree
  • Rengas
  • Bitterwood
  • Japanese magnolia
  • Oak
Dimensions 85 mm x 85 mm x 85 mm
Summary This is a developed Secret Box. You can open it using 10 movements.

No Image

no image

Solo C

Designed at date April, 2001
Materials
  • Peru walnut
  • Katsura tree
  • Rengas
  • Bitterwood
  • Japanese magnolia
  • Oak
Dimensions 85 mm x 85 mm x 85 mm
Summary This is a developed Secret Box. You can open it using 10 movements.
Recycling Box B

Recycling Box B

Designed at date August, 2000
Materials
  • Oak
  • Black walnut
  • Japanese magnolia
Dimensions 80 mm x 80 mm x 80 mm
Summary You can move the six arrows little by little. Finally you can open the box inside. Only the color is different between them.

No Image

no image

Recycling Box A

Designed at date August, 2000
Materials
  • Black walnut
  • Bitterwood
  • Ebony
  • Rengas
  • Japanese magnolia
Dimensions 80 mm x 80 mm x 80 mm
Summary You can move the six arrows little by little. Finally you can open the box inside. Only the color is different between them.

No Image

no image

Whorl A

Designed at date March, 2000
Materials
  • Black walnut
  • Rengas
  • Japanese magnolia
Dimensions 80 mm x 85 mm x 90 mm
Summary This is a developed Secret Box. You can slide the plate as a whorl, or in a circular motion. A plate moves but the motion is epoch-making, and different from traditional ones. The name gives you a big hint.
Solo B

Solo B

Designed at date March, 2000
Materials
  • Black walnut
  • Rengas
  • Makore (Baku, Cherry mahogany, African cherry)
  • Japanese lacquer tree
  • Japanese magnolia
Dimensions 80 mm x 83 mm x 85 mm
Summary This is a developed Secret Box. You can open it using 10 movements.

No Image

no image

Solo A

Designed at date March, 2000
Materials
  • Bog oak
  • Rengas
  • Japanese lacquer tree
  • Makore (Baku, Cherry mahogany, African cherry)
  • Japanese magnolia
Dimensions 80 mm x 80 mm x 80 mm
Summary This is a developed Secret Box. You can open it using 10 movements.

No Image

no image

Quartet B

Designed at date March, 2000
Materials
  • Peru walnut
  • Rengas
  • Japanese lacquer tree
  • Makore (Baku, Cherry mahogany, African cherry)
  • Japanese magnolia
Dimensions 160 mm x 160 mm x 80 mm
Summary I combined 4 cubic secret boxes. They move up and down or side to side. The movements are related to each side. At last, you can open each of the 4 lids on top. It won 2001 Puzzle Design Competition First Prize.
Quartet A

Quartet A

Designed at date March, 2000
Materials
  • Bog oak
  • Rengas
  • Japanese lacquer tree
  • Makore (Baku, Cherry mahogany, African cherry)
  • Japanese magnolia
Dimensions 160 mm x 160 mm x 80 mm
Summary I combined 4 cubic secret boxes. They move up and down or side to side. The movements are related to each side. At last, you can open each of the 4 lids on top. It won 2001 Puzzle Design Competition First Prize.