
If you’re the kind of person who appreciates traditional craftsmanship and doesn’t mind paying a little more to get it, we have a product for you today that you really have to see.
On sale from tomorrow, these stunning mini speakers are made by master craftsmen in Kyoto and use specially grown Japanese cedar, taking an incredible 30 years to go from planting to finished product.
Kyoto Natural Factory, who makes of a variety of goods using only materials sourced from Japan’s former capital, has teamed up with rare wood specialists Asunaro Shouten to create these stunning wooden speakers, called Nenrin Mini.
Made with Kitayamasugi cedar and featuring an all-wood body and cone, these speakers pack 2x15w stereo amps and are Bluetooth ready, making them easy to hook up with your smartphone, tablet or computer.
There are two models available, the Nenrin Mini Jinshibo and the Nenrin Mini Deshibo (the former’s pattern is carefully added to the wood, the latter’s 100% natural), both of which can be purchases in ‘natural’ or ‘dark’ colours.
▼ The wood is so delicate and so perfectly polished that it almost doesn’t look real in these images
These things certainly don’t come cheap, though: the speakers retail for a whopping 90,000 yen (US$890) each due to the wood’s relative rarity and the time is takes to grow. Still, if you’re feeling flush and are in the market for a couple of genuinely beautiful speakers, head over to Kyoto Natural Factory for more info.
Source/insert images: Japaaan Magazine
Feature image: Kyoto Natural Factory


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