Masakazu Nihei, who started learning his craft at age 18, spent ten years in apprenticeship before finally gaining recognition as a master craftsman in his own right. He spends every day at the paulownia mill, taking logs and working them down to size to make them into beautiful chests inlaid with seashells. The long, difficult process practically doubles as a spiritual exercise in self-cultivation.
十八歲開始學作桐櫥的師傅二瓶正和，足足當了十年弟子才正式出師，每天待在桐工廠裡，將粗的桐木紋一刀一刀裁掉變成細的，直到一個鑲有貝殼雕飾的美麗桐櫥乍然顯現，整個過程彷如一場細膩的精神修練。