Create intricate wooden coasters with techniques over 270 years old! Kesen carpentry is the school of carpentry that originated in the Kesen region (now comprised of Rikuzentakata, Ofunato and Sumita in Iwate prefecture) during the Edo period. The lack of agricultural options and the bitter winters in this mountainous region originally forced its residents to learn and hone their carpentry skills, which became increasingly intricate and complex as these carpenters traveled the country and learned new techniques.