Oke production has been a traditional craft of Gunma Prefecture since the end of the Meiji era, when a local family opened a barrel specialty store in Kiryu. The store has been making a range of products ever since, from large barrels for sake breweries to bathtubs and smaller items. The barrels, made from pieces of cedar, cypress, and sawara wood tied together with copper hoops, have a lovely woody scent and texture that many people value highly.