Wood Products with “Mottainai” Spirit.
“toncati” near Makishi Public Market

Wood products at this shop are made of wood scrap. The shop is named “toncati,” and it is located near Makishi Public Market. Inside of this shop is filled with creativity of Saeko Takida, the owner.





She started making wood products because she thought “it is mottainai (wasteful) to throw out something useful still.” She makes photo frames, vases, trays, and key rings from wood scrap that she got from carpenters or picked up on her own.



Takida was born and raised in Wakayama Prefecture. She has been interested in drawing plans and constructions. After she graduated from high school, she enrolled an architecture school and majored in Interior Design.



After graduating from the architecture school, she involved in a job to repair furniture and make products in Tokyo. At the same time, she started making wood products including furniture on her own and selling them online.　



“The reason why we moved to Okinawa in 2009 is because we had a lighthearted view.” Takida said. The time when her husband closed his second-hand clothing shop in Tokyo and renewal time of the apartment were the same. They visited Okinawa once for their friend’s wedding, and they were very touched by buildings and streetscape that are unlike Mainland Japan. So both of them agreed on “moving to Okinawa.”



She opened “toncati” on July 2015. Her husband said, “you can make anything, so why don’t you open your shop and sell them?” and gave her a push.



Takida’s recommendation is these single-flower vases, and they were made of matchwood, cardboard, newspaper, leftover from photo frames, and empty bottles. They are in the motif of the streetscape with unique buildings in Okinawa, and it is enjoyable to see them from different angles. She started to use many colors on her products after moving to Okinawa and getting inspiration from the streetscape and nature of Okinawa.





These broaches are made of matchwood and pull-tabs of beers, and undertone single-flower vases are made of matchwood and pull-tabs of canned mackerels.



You can put a short note in this “Talkative house.” It is useful to leave a word that you cannot usually tell someone or words of apology when you get in a fight. 



Also, this small box is perfect especially for men who have been thinking of proposing someone special. It would be good to put a ring in the box, open it and say, “will you marry me?” to a special person. Would you like to make all women’s dreams come true?



“I want to hold workshops in the future.” Takida told me with her shining eyes. She realized “the color effect to people” through her work, so she is hoping to “use many colors for the products to cheer and heal people and also to make them having warm feelings… It would be my pleasure if I could care for their emotional and spiritual needs.” 



Numerous products that were transformed from wood scrap hit this shop. Let’s pick your favorite product here.

 

toncati
Address: 2-9-1 Matsuo, Naha City
Tel: 098-868-9288
Business hours: 10:00-12:00 / 13:00-19:00
Closed: irregularly
URL: http://toncati.com/


Okinawa CLIP photo writer Sachiko