GOBU Exhibition

From 20th to 28th September 2025, the horse leather brand "GOBU" will be holding an exhibition and sales event at amanai.

"GOBU" is a horse leather brand from Gonohe, Aomori Prefecture. Gonohe has long thrived as a horse town, where people and horses have supported each other. Over time, the number of horse riders has decreased, but horse meat and sakura nabe (hotpot) remain beloved local specialties.

"We hope that in the future more people will ride horses, but for now, all we can do is feed and keep the family alive." by a horse meat salesperson

Fewer people ride horses these days due to the mechanization of transportation and transport. Statistically, the number of horses kept has plummeted from a peak of 1.7 million in the 1940s to 70,000 today. Wild horses in Japan are already extinct, so it's said that horses will not survive to the next generation unless humans get involved. A ranch in Gonohe that operates a horse meat shop apparently raises as many horse breeds as possible in order to pass on the horses to the next generation. Even in Gonohe, which has long been known as a "horse town," the current situation is that local experiences such as horse riding and horse meat cuisine are the only main horse-related industries.

Meanwhile, in Japan, horse hides have not been used for leather, and most of them have been crushed and discarded. Even when looking at cows and pigs, the number of animals that can be obtained from livestock in Japan is small, and due to quality and yield issues, a large proportion of hides are salted and exported. In other words, the raw hides obtained domestically are not enough to meet the demand for leather products in Japan. Overseas, where know-how on leather products has been accumulated more than in Japan, it seems that the quality control of raw hides is more stable. Even leather advertised as "domestic leather" is almost always made from imported raw hides.

Designer Tatsumi Iwai, a native of Gonohe Town, launched "GOBU" as a brand that fosters a positive relationship between people and horses. This project involves tanning hides donated by horse meat shops and other businesses at domestic tanneries, and turning them into horse leather products.

As times changed and people stopped riding horses on a daily basis, horses began to be slaughtered for meat before they could live to their full lifespan. If that were the case, they wanted to at least regenerate them into leather and "nurture" them once again by human hands. Respecting the culture in which people and horses lived in a "50/50" relationship (gobu means half), they are seeking ways to preserve this 50/50 spirit for the future. With this wish in mind, they are working on horse leather products that can be used for a long time.

GOBU Story

This exhibition will feature Gobun's iconic shoulder bag and tote bag. The shoulder bag is luxuriously lined with light and supple horse leather, and can be fashioned into a drawstring bag by fastening the hooks on opposite sides. The strap is also made of horse leather, making it gentle on the shoulder, and the length can be adjusted by tying it without using metal fittings. This small shoulder bag is perfect for small items such as a wallet, smartphone, and earphones. Although it is made entirely of leather, it is very light at 160g, making it easy to use.

As production is still not stable at the moment, we are primarily accepting orders by advance order. We will also be selling some leather goods such as wallets that can be sold on the spot. We also plan to have an exhibition where you can get a sense of the story behind each item and the production background. Please take this opportunity to see them, along with our rare, purely domestic horse leather products. We look forward to seeing you there.

GOBU  exhibition