Located in a quiet residential area about a 15-minute drive from Nagoya Station, you'll find "Kushitome Shoten." Founded in 1903 (Meiji 36), this long-established shop is the only one in the Tokai region that makes handmade boxwood combs. Along with the techniques that have supported the worlds of sumo and kabuki, they have been delivering combs that become an integral part of the user's daily life.

The meaning of a comb lies in using it in everyday life.

When the business was founded, the shop was located very close to Nagoya Castle, but it was destroyed along with Nagoya Castle in May 1945 during the war. After evacuating to Ichinomiya, the shop was reopened the following year at its current location, where relatives lived.

There were once dozens of comb shops in Aichi Prefecture. However, after the war, as the demand for plastic combs increased, the number of comb shops declined. In order to preserve the tradition of comb making, the shop began making tools for sumo and kabuki hairdressers (specialists who style and maintain topknots and wigs) around 1950.

The shop displays numerous certificates of awards, including those from the Japan Sumo Association, reflecting its history of being recognized by professionals. While the combs look like works of art, the third-generation owner, Shingo Mori, says, "I am a craftsman who makes practical items. A comb only has meaning when it is used. It is not a decorative tool."

A comb made from a book, crafted over many years. A time-honored art of handcraft.

Whether it's a comb used by a professional or an everyday comb, the manufacturing process is the same; each one is made with time and care.

Comb making begins with drying the boxwood, the raw material, in the shade for a year.

After that, the wood is smoked in a kiln for three months, followed by three months of air drying, a process that is repeated for at least three to four years to create the straight boards that will become the base for the combs.

In the process of shaping the board to make a comb, the most time-consuming part is "tooth polishing." Each tooth, the protruding part of the comb, is polished by hand.

This process involves using handmade "tooth-polishing sticks." Using dozens of different sticks made from materials such as horsetail and sandpaper, even the smallest combs are polished with meticulous care, more than 5,000 times. This careful work is what creates the smooth feel when you comb your hair.

The joy of choosing the perfect comb from a variety of options.

The shop displays a variety of combs, differing in shape and tooth coarseness, including the "Toki-gushi," a classic comb with a refined design that has been loved for generations, and the shop's original "Susu-gushi," which is thick and easy to grip. "Please rest assured that we will advise you on how to choose the right comb for your needs, budget, and hair type," said Hideaki Mori, the fourth-generation owner.

"We will not compromise on quality"—a commitment to carrying on for the next 100 years.

The more you use it, the more it becomes familiar to your hands and hair. Shingo Mori, the third generation to uphold this tradition, is celebrating his 67th year in the art of comb making.

Growing up watching his father, Hideaki, the third son, felt a sense of urgency, thinking, "If I don't take over, the tradition will die out." He joined the company as the fourth generation at the age of 22. His words, "I don't want to lower the quality in the future," conveyed his determination to carry the business forward for the next 100 years.

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Kushitome Shoten

電話：052-991-3759 
住所：愛知県名古屋市北区駒止町1丁目60
アクセス：名古屋市営地下鉄 黒川駅から徒歩15分
HP：https://kusitome.com/

*For details on opening hours and closing days, please check the link above.