UDA MASASHI • WOODCARVER
SAITAMA • JAPAN 

Uda Masashi is a Japanese woodcarver who lives and works deep in the countryside in Saitama, Japan.

Born in Akita in 1983 and raised in Chiba, he began by learning interior, furniture, display and other design at the age of 15. He started out at a prop company making TV sets, but felt sad when things were broken, so he switched jobs to a furniture workshop, where he found solace in the joy and fulfilment of seeing things used for a long time.

He then enrolled in a training school with the aim of learning the basics agains and becoming independent. This he achieved in 2011, setting up his own company and moved to his current home and workshop in 2016.

His is an old, wooden house - set a quiet, idyllic location, surrounded by flowers and fruit trees and ringed by mountains in the distance.

His front room serves as a small gallery and is a delightful treasure trove of finished objects, all carefully crafted in his large workshop behind - a calm, sunny space replete with tools and shavings and the smell of fresh cut timber.

Masashi has a deep respect for his materials - often chestnut, Japanese cherry, walnut or oak - and not unlike a ceramicist working clay, he lets the grain and nature of the wood inform the outcome of the work.

His process is involves steady, repetitive carving, making small movements using simple tools, such as chisels and carving blades. This allows each piece to slowly reveal its final form, one that respects the flow and grain of the wood.

One of Masashi's signature techniques is the use of "Iron Dying" - a traditional process derived from iron soaked in vinegar - which he's refined using secret elements of his own. The resulting dark brown dye reacts with tannins contained in the wood and is a safe and time honoured technique.

We were lucky enough to visit Uda in his home and workshop early in 2025, spending a blissful morning exploring his work space and selecting our favourite pieces from his gallery. We are now beyond excited to now be able to introduce this sublime work to our Australian customers.