Of all the tropes and supposed characteristics of the Japanese way of life to have lodged in the Western consciousness, few have gained more traction – cemented in our brains by a hit book and TV series – than the notion of Japan as a land of uncluttered tidiness.
A quick visit to one of the charming but somewhat chaotic blacksmith’s workshops in Niigata would soon put paid to the idea that the Japanese are all up to speed with this concept.
That’s not to say there isn’t an underlying sense of order in such places: the functional simplicity of the secateurs and other fine products they create arises, in part, from the craftsmen’s familiarity with the materials and tools of the trade, and these must be in the right place at the right time in the right condition. But Zen-like spaces these workshops are not.
Like most people, here at Niwaki we vacillate between the two positions. On one hand we love the sight of a tidy garden shed or a freshly clipped hedge, but on the other hand, like most gardeners, we have an ever-growing stack of broken plant pots that we’re keeping just in case, and let’s not mention the disorder and confusion that has taken hold in the back of the Niwaki Land Rover.
Whatever your take on all this, if you’ve got tools you need somewhere to store them and maybe a way to transport them, and we have several stylish new solutions to these age-old problems. We can’t guarantee you’ll achieve a higher spiritual plane as you rearrange your bits and pieces, but you can at least sleep well knowing you’ll be able to lay your hands on that spare spring for your Niwaki GR Pro Clippers or your well-used Niwaki Creanmate just when you need them (assuming you can remember where you’ve put the Tool Box itself).
Available in three sizes and two colours, these fine receptacles for stuff are smart enough to keep around the home – after all, it’s not just tools that need stashing – but tough enough to keep handy in a Landy and use non-stop in a workshop.
Click any photo to inspect the range.