Gifu Meiboku Market

  • 2019/10/290
  • Views(1,109)

Located in Gifu Prefecture, about the center of Japan and well-known for its forest coverage rate up to 80 percent, Gifu Meiboku (precious wood) Market has gathered traders from all over the country and even abroad to sell and purchase wood material in various forms, from wood slabs to logs. The Gifuken Meiboku Kyodokumiai (Gifu Prefecture Precious Wood Cooperative), established in 1947, has inherited and utilized an unique bidding system that closes bids in seconds for every piece. The auctioneers take turns to stand next to or on the items for sale, and all interested buyers follow around to bid with their ideal price in mind. To better introduce and record such an exclusive wood culture, IWCS re-interviewed Gifuken Meiboku Kyodokumiai about the history, operation, precious wood, stories and experiences of the Gifu Meiboku Market and filmed the remarkable annual event preserving it as a legacy.