Dai yokai: The Breton Workshop Where Japanese Folklore Comes to Life
It all started with a simple observation in 2022: it was impossible to find an affordable Hannya mask that didn't look like a "plastic toy." Real wooden masks cost a fortune (which is understandable given the masterful craftsmanship), and the Amazon copies were awful since they came from AliExpress.
I decided to make my own mask: the precision of technology for the form, and the human hand for the soul. My goal? For you to be able to hold an object that has "meaning," a texture, and a story, without being fooled by a Wish mask. Can you sense the frustration of someone who's been ripped off? Yes.
Welcome to my workshop. — Jeremy
From "Laziness" to Passion = Dai Yokai
Daiyokai wasn't born in a design office, but from a conversation between friends (and a bit of serendipity).
It all started one evening in 2022, over drinks with my best friend Quentin (founder of Le Petit Konbini in Lille).
We were putting the world to rights. I literally have Japan under my skin with my tattoos (yes, it's a cliché), but I didn't yet have a concrete project.
Quentin said to me, "It would be so cool if you had a project related to Japan; I could promote you."
At that moment, I had a flash of inspiration. I thought back to my childhood friend, Benj, who kept talking to me about 3D printing. At first, I didn't understand the appeal; I found it too technical, so frankly, I was too lazy.
But that evening, the equation clicked: Japanese folklore + 3D printing technology = Oni masks?
I checked on my phone to see if it was technically possible. The answer was yes. I didn't do any market research: I ordered my first printer that very evening, on a whim, since it was supposed to be a fun experiment.
The result?
I loved it so much that I had to order a second printer two weeks later, then a third (still going overboard) the following week to supply my friends. The adventure had begun.
Expertise & Materials: Why it's not industrial plastic
THE SOUL BEHIND THE MASK
Behind Dai Yokai, there is no factory, no industrial warehouse. There is Jérémy, a Breton craftsman obsessed with Japanese folklore and the quest for perfect detail.
NEO-CRAFTSMANSHIP My approach is hybrid: I use the precision of technology (high-definition 3D printing) to create the structure, but it is the human hand that brings the object to life. Each mask undergoes hours of sanding, priming, and hand-painting. No machine can reproduce the wear on a demon's horn or the texture of an ancient stone.
MORE THAN AN OBJECT, A SPIRIT Whether you're looking for an Oni to protect your home or a Kitsune to complete a collection, you're not buying plastic. You're adopting a piece that took between 20 and 50 hours of work. My goal? That when you unpack your box, you feel the history and passion that forged this piece.
Welcome to my workshop. — Jeremy
My goal
I want to share my passion for Japanese folklore (Yokai) through my masks. Whether you seek the protection of a Kitsune Mask or the strength of an Oni Mask, each piece that leaves my workshop in Brittany carries a part of this passion. I hope to continue like this for a long time.
Thank you for being part of my adventure and to everyone who believed in me.
Jérémy - Dai Yokai
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