THE CHOUEKE FAMILY DEPLORE THE HARVESTING OF CORAL FROM OUR SEAS. ALL THE OKIMONO THAT ARE DISPLAYED HERE ARE ANTIQUE. CORAL OKIMONO WERE TRADITIONALLY CARVED IN RURAL AREAS OF JAPAN, MAINLY BY FARMERS, TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR INCOME DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. THESE OKIMONO HAVE THEIR ORIGIN IN SHIKOKU ISLAND. MRS. CHOUEKE AND HER ASSISTANT, EMI SUZUKI, MADE THE TRIP TO KOFU ON MANY OCCASIONS TO MEET WITH THE LOCAL CARVERS AND TO PURCHASE DIRECTLY FROM THEM THEIR ARTWORKS. THEY WOULD SPEND ONE NIGHT IN THE LOCAL RYOKAN AND THEN RETURN TO KOBE. MANY OF OUR OVERSEAS GUESTS AND CUSTOMERS WOULD REQUEST THESE PIECES. THEY WERE PURCHASED AND TAKEN HOME AS GIFTS. IT SHOULD BE SAID THAT A VERY SMALL QUANTITY OF CORAL WAS ACTUALLY USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF THESE WORKS BECAUSE OF LIMITED PRODUCTION AND THE SCARCITY OF SKILLED CRAFTSMEN. CORAL IS VERY FRAGILE AND DIFFICULT TO CARVE. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE DESIGNS FOLLOW THE PATH OF THE BRANCHES OF CORAL. IT IS AN ART FORM OF BYGONE DAYS.