Upcycling Woodcraft

'Kyurkyuru', 'Jigi', 'Pichuchu'...The sounds that Mr. Matsunaga plays during bird calls are like real chirping, and the great tits have even responded. Mr. Matsunaga can make about 10 different sounds, and the Wild Bird Society's sounds are surprisingly similar.

When he sells bird calls, he also gives them a note that says, 'Please do not ring for long periods of time in areas where birds are nesting.' This is because if the parents hear the voices of other birds during the nesting period from early spring to early summer, they may sense danger and abandon their young.

Mr. Matsunaga knew nothing about birds, but after deciding to sell bird calls, he researched and learned more about bird ecology. We don't just sell products, we also think about the natural world and birds. You can feel Mr. Matsunaga's kindness in his attitude.

After studying furniture design at university, Matsunaga got a job in the wood industry. After that, he held a sales position at a housing manufacturer and also served as a factory manager at a stringed instrument manufacturing company.

'Rather than doing sales or writing drawings, I wanted to make things.I wanted to be Seiji-kun (a 15-year-old boy who aspires to become a violin craftsperson) in the movie ``Whisper of the Heart', which is why he started Matsunaga String Instrument Studio. The reason is. To date, we have created over 300 double basses and electric upright basses. After working as a musical instrument craftsperson for about 10 years, I received a request from an acquaintance to revitalize the village of Taketomi Island in Okinawa by making something using locally available construction scraps. I made egg-shaped bird calls and sold them, which became a hit.

The Matsunaga String Instrument Studio also made these pieces using scrap materials from instrument production. It was very popular at the craft fair where it first appeared, and Bird Call became Matsunaga String Instrument Studio's signature work.