About Us

About Us

Established in 1830.

Founded in 1830 (Tempo gannen)
Technique and aspiration passed down through generations

About Wakabayashi Butsugu Mfg.

Wakabayashi Butsugu Mfg. was started in 1830 (Tempo gannen) in Kyoto. We have devoted ourselves to the manufacturing of Buddhist altars and accessories for many years.
The complete production of Buddhist altars and accessories for temples and homes requires various processes and multiple crafts techniques. Starting with woodworking, wood carving, urushi lacquer painting, roiro polishing, gold leafing, makie lacquer painting, metallic casting, metal coloring, hyogu art mounting, and so on. As the fruit of many artisans' labors, we deliver our products with the greatest of care.
In recent years, we have worked on the restoration of cultural assets such as national treasures and important cultural properties, utilizing these artisans' techniques in a variety of situations. Lifestyles and attitudes change with the times, but what remains the same is the attitude of craftspeople to continue to improve their skills and create better products.

Throughout the Edo, Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa eras, we believe that traditional crafts have been passed down as a result of continuous efforts to meet the demands of the times. Therefore, we believe that continuing to provide the best quality and work in every age is a link to the future.

As a company with a long history and inheritor of crafts techniques, we strive to protect artisans and their techniques so that they are able to accommodate the work required for temples, shrines, and cultural properties. We also seek new forms of craftsmanship needed in the next generation and continuing to take on challenges in new fields.

President Message

President Message

Wakabayashi Butsugu Mfg. has had a long history of manufacturing Buddhist altars and accessories since its foundation in Shichijo, Kyoto. Throughout our long history, we have established credibility, fulfilled orders from all over the country, and have made it possible to accumulate numerous delivery records. This would not have been possible without the contribution of our patrons. We truly thank you from the bottom of our heart.

Our work is always accompanied by the skills of outstanding artisans, and we are proud to say that the techniques used in Buddhist altars and accessories are form the core collective entity of Japanese traditional crafts. However, in recent years, many craft products have disappeared from daily life, and the decline in the amount of work for artisans and training personnel have become big problems throughout the country.

There are many temples and shrines that have been designated as national treasures or important cultural assets, as well as architecture and furnishings of equivalent cultural value. In order to preserve such historical and cultural value for the future, we need to keep nurturing excellent artisans. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to make more people than ever aware of the appeal and potential of crafts, and we are constantly taking on new challenges to realise this and develop new products using Kyoto craftsmanship, not only for the domestic, but also for overseas markets.

With a company motto “Worship in the morning, Gratitude in the evening, Hands in prayer”, we will continue to work together to manufacture even better products. Thank you for your continuous support.

President Tomoyuki Wakabayashi

Corporate Philosophy

Corporate Philosophy

We will contribute to the realization of a prosperous society by pursuing happiness and peace of mind for all.

Wakabayashi Butsugu Mfg. relies on the cooperation of many people, including customers, employees and artisans, as well as materials and distributors.

We are grateful to those involved and hope that our pursuit of “happiness” and “peace of mind” will create a positive cycle within and outside the company. We hope to be a contributing factor for the realisation of a prosperous society.

Our Mission

1. We value customers, employees, and artisans.

A corporation cannot exist without people.

We have approached our work in the field of handmade traditional crafts mainly by manufacturing Buddhist altars and accessories.
We give in-depth consideration to the needs and requests from the temples and our customers while providing them with a wealth of experience and knowledge from our employees. And we take our time with each product, from its conception to its manufacturing and delivery, employing outstanding artisans throughout each process.

The combined efforts of our customers, employees, and artisans make it possible to produce such high-quality products. That's why we respect each other, cherish communication, and always show our gratitude.

We are proud to say that the trust and achievements we have cultivated over the years since our founding are the result of cherishing our connection with others. We promise to continue working together with our customers, employees, and artisans.

2. We nurture, enhance, and pass down craft techniques to the next generation.

Crafts techniques are improved and enhanced every day by learning from one another.

Without the will to create better products, the work of the artisan cannot be done. With techniques built by predecessors, we are occasionally asked to repair and reproduce precious national treasures and important cultural assets, as well as the daily manufacture of Buddhist altars and accessories. There were artisans who, in their time, pursued the very best of work, and their way of life is engraved in those precious works. Since crafts in Kyoto in particular are based on a detailed division of labor, there is a professional for every single process.

We are sincerely grateful for the artisans who have dedicated their lives to their craft amidst the changing modern times, and we will continue to focus on nurturing successors as a corporation.

3. Preserving the spirit and culture of holding our hands together.

Today, it is very important to hold our hands together and have a space to feel at ease in daily life.

Traditionally, Buddhist altars functioned as miniature temples for the home, and not as memorials for the deceased.
They provided a time and space in your daily life to face yourself, hold your hands together, and find spiritual refuge. Because we are living in a stressful modern society, there is a great meaning in having the time to hold your hands together and quietly accept those unexpected moments, both good and bad, about family and friends, and things you can't easily share. Not only does it have a religious connotation, but it is also rooted in Japanese culture.

We will make further efforts to provide spaces for people to hold their hands together, preserve their culture, forge connections, and find peace of mind.