Feeling the history up to now and the future up ahead
Etoe is located in Ikenokami Industrial Park, in the foothills of Mt. Ryujin in southeastern Echizen City. Lined with factories manufacturing industrial parts and a scatter of studios producing Echizen knives, the district represents both tradition and innovation. In order to blend with the two-sidedness of the district, as well as stand out from the crowd, the Etoe building combines an industrial corrugated base steel sheet roofing with traditional red iron oxide cedar board outer walls. The glass façade reveals the gallery and stockyard inside, showing not only the products but also the process of making them.
Welcomes visitors to handle the kitchen knives and lacquerware in person before purchasing.
Invites visitors to observe the materials prior to processing into knife handles.
Provides opportunities to use the knives in a real-life setting, e.g., by test cutting kitchen knives and in cooking lessons.
Multipurpose space for organizing lectures and study sessions.
Creative space for a maki-e artist.