Forest Bento: Eco-friendly Educational Wooden Toys

When you hear "Woodworking Shop", you might picture burly craftsmen manufacturing furniture and building materials. However, in Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, there exists a unique woodworking establishment that breaks this stereotype – ICHIBAMOKKO Woodworking Studio. Unlike traditional woodworking shops, they specialize in creating educational wooden toys, and remarkably, their team consists entirely of women. This strategic choice stems from their primary customer base being mothers, whose perspective is essential in creating products that truly resonate with families.

Their work revolves around the Japanese concept of "Moku-Iku" (wood education), which comprises three core elements:

・Touch: Developing rich sensibilities through hands-on experience with wood and forests
・Know: Understanding the current state of forests and wood resources, the characteristics of wood as a material, and the significance of its use from environmental, economic, cultural, and social perspectives
・Use: Nurturing people of all ages who can thoughtfully engage with and utilize wood and forest resources from their unique positions

This concept originated in Japan, where forests cover two-thirds of the land. In our modern world, where direct contact with nature is becoming increasingly rare, wood education carries profound significance. It not only fosters environmental understanding and ecological awareness but also contributes to creating sustainable forest lifecycles and establishing ideal fair-trade systems in the forestry industry.

Today, we're introducing our wooden BENTO set. Bento is a cornerstone of Japanese culture – a portable meal packed in a special container for enjoying lunch at school, work, or outdoor activities.

Ichiba Woodworking has already released their first "Forest Bento" collection, which received the prestigious "Omotenashi Selection" award, an accolade created to promote outstanding Japanese products globally. The set garnered particular acclaim from international audiences.

This new "Forest Bento" collection, which we're proud to debut on Kickstarter, features carefully selected ingredients and an even more authentic representation of Japanese culture.

Through this product, we hope to convey the importance of wood and contribute to creating sustainable cycles of forest resource usage.

Premium Japanese Wood Selection

We source our materials from various native Japanese tree species in the Yamanami area of the Chugoku region. Beyond the well-known Japanese cypress (Hinoki) and cedar (Sugi), we utilize lesser-known but equally magnificent varieties like Mouse-ear dogwood and Japanese bigleaf magnolia. By sourcing locally, including from urban street trees and fruit trees, we minimize CO2 emissions from transportation.


Feminine Touch in Design and Texture

Our all-female workshop creates pieces with gentle curves and charming aesthetics. The size of each food item matches real-life proportions while maintaining a perfect balance between realism and playfulness. All pieces undergo natural air-drying, resulting in a uniquely soft, pleasant texture that only this process can achieve.


Double Duty: Toy and Interior Decor

While primarily designed as children's toys to encourage interaction with wood, these pieces double as sophisticated interior decorations. Under the artistic direction of Ms. Ichiba, each piece achieves excellence in both functionality and aesthetics. Whether used for play or display, these items enhance your home's atmosphere with their subtle wooden fragrance.


Authentic Japanese Bento Recreation

Drawing inspiration from Japan's bento culture, we've carefully curated a selection of typical Japanese lunch items. Even the bento box itself is crafted from wood, complete with a traditional mizuhiki-style elastic band and a container made from domestic red pine, authentically representing Japanese bento culture.

An Unexpected Business Inheritance and Discovery of Wooden Crafts

ICHIBAMOKKO Woodworking Studio

ICHIBAMOKKO Woodworking Studio, now in its 58th year, was originally run by Miho Ichiba's parents. Far from her woodworking roots, Miho studied biotechnology in college and began her career conducting hygiene inspections at a food company. Her journey back to woodworking began unexpectedly when her mother fell ill, leading her to help with office work at the family business. Initially viewing this as temporary assistance, she found herself starting from scratch in an industry completely different from her previous experience.

Miho Ichiba, CEO of ICHIBAMOKKO Woodworking Studio


During this period, Miho also pursued her interest in illustration, which led her to manage marketplace events. There, she made a surprising discovery: wooden products were far more popular than she had imagined. At events drawing around 3,000 visitors daily, predominantly women, she noticed a genuine enthusiasm for wooden crafts. Despite growing up around wood, she hadn't realized just how many people shared this appreciation. With access to woodworking facilities, skilled craftspeople, and her own design capabilities – combined with her parents' declining health – Miho decided to fully commit to the family business.

Pivoting After Natural Disaster

After officially becoming CEO, Miho began developing wooden accessories alongside the existing construction materials business. This transition wasn't without challenges – she faced resistance from longtime employees who disagreed with her new direction, and her lack of management experience added to the difficulties. Then, in July 2018, disaster struck in the form of severe floods (Western Japan Floods). The workshop suffered water damage, machinery was destroyed, and operations ceased for a month due to power and water outages.

Yet this crisis became a catalyst for change. Miho decided to pivot the company's focus entirely to wooden accessories. "We were receiving increasing inquiries about wood education projects from local government and others, without actively promoting it. This suggested a real market need," she explains.

The turning point for their current specialty – wooden food items – came when the Hiroshima Prefecture Wood Industry Association sought manufacturers for wooden toys using local materials. Miho's creation of a "play kitchen" received enthusiastic feedback, confirming their new direction.

play kitchen


Scaling Up for Global Impact

Today, ICHIBAMOKKO Woodworking Studio has established an efficient production system, collaborating with partner companies to meet larger-scale demands. While maintaining hand-crafted elements, they've developed standardized industrial processes over recent years. This deliberate choice to scale up, rather than remain boutique, reflects their global ambitions.

Their products minimize artistic variation to ensure consistent quality across Japan, with potential for international expansion. Meeting strict European and American environmental standards, all items are made entirely of wood, with no plastic components.

Since 2019, the workshop has operated with an all-female staff – a rarity in Japan's woodworking industry. This unique approach stems from understanding their primary customers: mothers seeking toys for their children. This perspective has helped create products that work beautifully both as toys and interior decorations. Rather than making disposable items, they focus on creating sustainable products that can be cherished across generations.

The demand for products with transparent supply chains, local sourcing, and minimal environmental impact is growing globally. Miho's mission to "communicate the importance of wood" has materialized in these wooden food toys and decorative pieces that now reach homes worldwide.

Correcting Misconceptions About Logging

When people hear "logging," many picture the devastating deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. However, proper forest management actually requires appropriate harvesting. Japan, with forests covering two-thirds of its land, has cultivated a rich wood culture for centuries. The sustainable cycle involves growing trees, harvesting mature ones for use, planting new ones, and repeating this process – creating a renewable resource system.

In fact, the concept of "wood education" (Moku-Iku) emerged partly to address misconceptions about logging being inherently harmful. In post-World War II Japan, decreased wood demand led to reduced logging, inadvertently spreading the misconception that all tree cutting is detrimental. However, forests require active management. About 40% of Japan's forests are planted, and both these and natural forests suffer when left unused, leading to soil degradation and increased risk of landslides.

We hope to dispel these misconceptions and help people understand the importance of proper forest management. The Forest Bento serves as a tangible way to start this conversation.

Global Ambitions in Challenging Times

While many view the woodworking industry as declining, we see immense potential. Though modern life has replaced many wooden items with plastic, people still crave the warmth and authenticity of wood. Rather than accepting decline, we believe in reimagining presentation and purpose.

These challenging times motivate us to expand globally, sharing Japan's wooden craftsmanship and environmental consciousness with the world. Sustaining future forest benefits requires a thriving industry – both economically and in terms of human resources. By creating products that balance practicality with design, we aim to increase access points to wood education and forest appreciation.

Using wooden products helps store carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change mitigation. We want families to experience this environmental contribution from childhood, fostering appreciation for sustainable materials through daily play and life.

New Forest Bento - Kickstarter Exclusive

Infused with the natural fragrance and gentleness of wood, this educational toy perfectly combines wood education with food culture. It features Japanese wooden food items made with food-safe domestic paints (used minimally). Popular as both a birthday gift and interior decoration, it includes:

・A traditional wooden bento box (Wappa) made from Japanese pine
・A decorative elastic band inspired by Mizuhiki (traditional Japanese cord art)
・Hinoki and Sugi wood shavings as cushioning material, which naturally regulate humidity
・All wood is naturally air-dried rather than kiln-dried to minimize environmental impact


About the Bento Contents

Onigiri (Rice Balls)

A quintessential Japanese portable food dating back to the Heian period (794-1185). These triangle-shaped rice balls, typically wrapped in nori (seaweed), are represented with special wood-burning techniques and minimal paint.


Salmon

Grilled salmon, a protein-rich bento staple that adds both flavor and visual appeal to Japanese lunches.


Tamagoyaki (Rolled Omelette)

A beloved bento component featuring layers of seasoned egg, rolled into a rectangular shape. Our wooden version captures its characteristic golden color and shape.


Kamaboko (Fish Cake)

A processed fish product typically featuring white and pink colors, sliced thin for bento variety. Our wooden recreation maintains its distinctive half-moon shape.


Strawberry

A sweet addition that adds a pop of color to complete the bento experience.


Forest Picnic Set

A companion collection designed to appeal to international audiences, featuring wooden interpretations of classic picnic items. Like the Bento set, it uses minimal food-safe domestic paint and includes natural wood shavings as cushioning material. Perfect as both a toy and decoration piece.

Meet Our Team

About ICHIBAMOKKO Woodworking Studio

Based in Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, ICHIBAMOKKO is a woodworking studio with 58 years of heritage. Since 2019, we've operated with an all-female team, bringing fresh energy and perspective to the woodworking industry. Our work extends beyond product development – we're actively involved in various initiatives that merge wood craftsmanship with design innovation.

We focus on creating high-value products that showcase the beauty of wood and local character, while also offering spatial design solutions and consulting on forest environment tax utilization. ICHIBAMOKKO products align perfectly with SDG goals while maintaining exceptional quality standards. Most importantly, each piece carries the warmth of human craftsmanship, as everything we create passes through skilled hands.

Through this Kickstarter project, we hope to reach as many homes as possible, allowing families worldwide to experience the joy of our handcrafted wooden toys