Kake Bushou Broom

If Cinderella had lived in a minimalist Tokyo apartment instead of a fairy-tale castle,
she probably would have used a Kake Bushou Broom. This small, elegant Japanese broom
has quietly become a cult favorite among design lovers and cleaning nerds alike.
It’s functional, beautiful, and just whimsical enough to make sweeping your floor feel
like less of a chore and more of a tiny daily ritual.

The Kake Bushou Broom isn’t your average big-box-store sweeper. Designed by Masanori Oji
and crafted by Sojirushi in Japan, it takes a traditional Edo-style broom and updates it
with refined proportions, natural materials, and a clever umbrella-like handle that lets
you hang it almost anywhere. The result is a cleaning tool that doubles as a decorative
objectsomething you actually want to see leaning (or hanging) in your entryway.

What Is the Kake Bushou Broom?

The Kake Bushou Broom is a compact, wall-hanging Japanese broom made from natural
broomcorn, rattan, shuro (Japanese palm), and wood. It’s part of a family of
“Kake” brooms, but the Bushou is the smallest and most nimble of the bunchperfect
for tight hallways, studio apartments, and smaller spaces where a full-size broom
feels clunky.

The name itself is a fun clue to the broom’s personality. In Japanese,
“bushou” roughly translates to “lazy,” a tongue-in-cheek nod to the fact that this
broom is designed to make cleaning easier and more effortless. The stick curves at
the top like an umbrella handle so you can simply hook it onto a wall-mounted peg or
hook when you’re done. No ugly plastic, no awkward broom closetsjust simple,
thoughtful design.

• Maker: Sojirushi (Japanese broom maker)
• Designer: Masanori Oji
• Style: Edo-style Japanese broom
• Approximate size: about 7–8 inches wide and 29–30 inches long
• Materials: broomcorn, rattan, shuro (Japanese palm), wood
• Handle: umbrella-style, designed for hanging

Design Story: From Edo-Era Tool to Modern Design Icon

A Modern Take on Traditional Edo Brooms

The Kake Bushou Broom is inspired by the brooms used during Japan’s Edo period
(roughly 1603–1868), when handcrafted tools were made to last and everyday objects
were treated with the same care and respect as fine art. Traditional Edo brooms were
slim, tightly bound bundles of broomcorn, often hung on walls to dry and to keep them
convenient for daily sweeping.

This broom keeps that DNA: the narrow profile, the hand-bound straw, and the idea that
the broom should live out in the open, ready to be used at a moment’s notice. The
big difference is the refined, modern silhouettethe lines are cleaner, the proportions
more considered, and the materials carefully selected to look as good as they perform.

Who Are Sojirushi and Masanori Oji?

Sojirushi is a Japanese maker known for high-quality brooms and related tools, often
produced in small batches by skilled craftspeople. Designer Masanori Oji has built a
reputation for taking traditional Japanese craft and translating it into everyday objects
that feel fresh, contemporary, and quietly joyful.

In the Kake Bushou Broom, Oji’s philosophy shows up in the details: the graceful sweep
of the handle, the careful binding of the broomcorn, and the way the broom feels balanced
in your hand. It’s design that doesn’t scream for attention, but rewards it once you
look closely.

Why “Bushou” Means “Lazy” in the Best Possible Way

The playful “lazy” nickname doesn’t mean this broom is for slackers. It means it lets
you do more with less effort. The light weight and compact head make quick, targeted
sweeps easyunder a coffee table, along a baseboard, or around chair legs. You don’t
feel like you’re wrestling with a giant plastic stick; you’re just guiding a nimble tool
where it needs to go.

It also fights a different kind of laziness: “I’ll clean later” procrastination. Because
the broom hangs in plain sight and looks beautiful on the wall, you’re more likely to
grab it for a fast sweep instead of ignoring that dust bunny for the third day in a row.

Materials and Craftsmanship

Elastic Broomcorn for Effortless Sweeping

At the heart of the Kake Bushou Broom is broomcorna plant in the sorghum family with
naturally springy fibers. Unlike cheap synthetic bristles that can feel stiff or scratchy,
broomcorn has a gentle elasticity that glides across wood, tile, and even low-pile rugs.

The fibers are arranged in a tight, flat fan. That shape lets you collect dust and crumbs
in a single pass instead of scattering them around. It’s particularly good at catching
grit along edges where vacuums often struggle, like the line where floor meets baseboard.

Rattan, Shuro, and Wood: Natural from Top to Bottom

The broom head is bound with rattan and shuro (Japanese palm), both durable natural fibers
used in Japanese craft for generations. These bindings are not just decorative; they keep
the broomcorn fibers under consistent tension so they don’t flare out prematurely.

The handletypically wood wrapped and bound at key pointsfeels warm and comfortable in
the hand, even during longer cleaning sessions. The combination of wood and natural fiber
gives the broom a tactile quality that’s completely different from hollow metal or hard
plastic handles.

Small but Mighty: Dimensions That Actually Work

The Kake Bushou is smaller and narrower than a full-size floor broom, but that’s exactly
the point. Its compact size makes it:

• Perfect for small apartments, studios, and tiny homes
• Easy to maneuver in tight spaces like hallways and entryways
• Comfortable for quick daily “spot sweeps” rather than deep-clean marathons

For larger spaces, many owners pair the Bushou with its taller cousin, the Kake Chohou
Broom, using the Bushou for precision work and the Chohou for bigger floor areas. But
on its own, the Bushou shines as a “grab-and-go” broom that covers most everyday messes.

How to Use the Kake Bushou Broom in Everyday Life

The Best Spots to Put It to Work

Think of the Kake Bushou Broom as your everyday “front-of-house” broom. Some ideal
places to use it:

• Entryway: Sweep up sand, leaves, and street dust tracked in from outside.
• Kitchen: Catch crumbs around the dining table and under chairs.
• Living room: Run it under sofas, armchairs, and coffee tables.
• Home office: Sweep around cables and desk legs where vacuums are awkward.

Because it hangs on a wall, the broom practically invites you to use it multiple times a
day. A quick sweep after breakfast, a pass through the entryway before guests arrive, a
quiet evening tidy-upno dragging out a noisy vacuum required.

How It Feels to Use

Using the Kake Bushou Broom is surprisingly satisfying. The broomcorn tips flex slightly
as you sweep, so instead of scraping the floor, you get a smooth, gliding motion. You can
use short strokes for precision or wider arcs for open floor areas.

The light weight means your wrists and shoulders don’t tire as quickly, and the balance
of the handle makes it easy to control where the bristles go. Many users describe the
experience as almost meditativelike raking a Zen garden, but with dog hair and cracker crumbs.

Care and Maintenance Tips

To keep a Kake Bushou Broom in good shape:

• Hang it when not in use. This prevents the bristles from bending or warping.
• Shake out dust outside. A gentle shake or tap on a railing is usually enough.
• Spot clean only. If the broom gets sticky or dirty, lightly wipe the bristles with a damp cloth and let them dry completely.
• Avoid soaking. Prolonged moisture can weaken natural fibers and warp the wood.
• Rotate the broom occasionally. If you always sweep in one direction, rotating the broom helps the bristles wear more evenly.

Why Design Lovers Obsess Over the Kake Bushou Broom

A Cleaning Tool You Don’t Have to Hide

Most cleaning tools are designed to be hidden: shoved in a closet or tucked behind a door.
The Kake Bushou Broom flips that script. Its slim profile, tidy bristle arrangement, and
sculptural handle mean it looks completely at home hanging on a wall hook in your kitchen
or entryway.

Design-forward retailers and interiors blogs have highlighted the broom as an example of
“everyday objects as decor.” It fits beautifully into Japanese, Scandinavian, and modern
farmhouse interiors alikeanywhere that values warm, natural materials and simple, honest design.

Sustainability and the Appeal of “Slow Cleaning”

The Kake Bushou Broom also fits neatly into a more sustainable, low-waste lifestyle. Instead
of a disposable plastic broom that breaks or sheds bristles, this broom is built to last and
made from largely renewable natural materials.

Pairing a handcrafted broom with a simple dustpan lets you skip the single-use cleaning
gadgets and battery-powered sweepers. It encourages what you might call “slow cleaning”
a mindset that values daily, gentle upkeep over big, exhausting weekend clean-ups.

Is the Kake Bushou Broom Worth the Price?

There’s no way around it: the Kake Bushou Broom is not cheap. It’s often priced in the
same range as a mid-tier vacuum accessory. Whether it’s “worth it” depends on how you
think about value.

For someone who just wants the absolute least expensive broom possible, this is not the
right choice. But for people who:

• Care about design and craft
• Live in smaller spaces where every visible object matters
• Prefer durable, natural materials over disposable plastic
• Like the idea of tools that age gracefully instead of just wearing out

…the Kake Bushou Broom becomes less of a splurge and more of a long-term upgrade. It’s
a piece of functional design you’ll see and use daily, not something that gathers dust
in a closet.

Alternatives and Related Japanese Brooms

The Kake Bushou is part of a broader family of Japanese brooms. If you love the idea but
want something slightly different, you might also look at:

• Kake Chohou Broom: a longer, full-size version for sweeping larger areas.
• Kake Houki: a broader broom head designed for greater floor coverage.
• Other Japanese broom brands: traditional makers offer similar handcrafted brooms with unique shapes and fiber types.

These alternatives follow the same core principlesnatural materials, careful craftsmanship,
and graceful proportionswhile tailoring the size and shape to specific cleaning needs.

How to Style a Kake Bushou Broom at Home

Because it’s meant to be visible, where and how you hang your Kake Bushou Broom makes a big
difference. Some styling ideas:

• Entryway statement: Hang the broom on a wooden peg rail alongside a canvas tote,
  a favorite sunhat, and an umbrella. It becomes part of a functional “get-out-the-door” wall.
• Kitchen corner: Mount a single brass hook on a blank wall near your trash can
  or recycling bin, and let the broom share the space with a dustpan or linen towel.
• Utility nook: If you have a tiny laundry or utility area, hang the broom next
  to a drying rack and cleaning caddy. Even a small corner can look intentional and curated.
• Living room stealth mode: In open-concept spaces, a neutral, natural broom
  blends into wood tones and woven baskets far better than neon plastic.

The goal is simple: let the broom live where it’s useful, not buried where you’ll forget about it.

Living With a Kake Bushou Broom: Experience-Based Impressions

So what is it actually like to live with a Kake Bushou Broom day in and day out? While every
home is different, many owners describe a surprisingly similar arc: curiosity, delight, and then
quiet dependence.

The first stage is curiosity. People often buy the broom because they saw it on a design site
or in a beautifully styled interior photo. It arrives in a slim box, lighter than you expect,
and immediately feels more like an object you’d display than a tool you’d hide. When you hang
it on the wall for the first time, there’s usually a moment of: “Wait, why does this look so good?”

The second stage is delight. That happens the first few times you actually grab it. Maybe it’s
a morning when someone spilled coffee grounds, or a night after dinner when crumbs are everywhere.
You reach for the broom almost as an experiment, and the sweeping motion feels different from
typical broomslight, precise, and oddly satisfying. Instead of thumping and scraping, the broom
floats just above the floor, guiding dust into a neat little pile.

Owners who live in small apartments often report that this is when the broom becomes part of their
routine. Because it hangs on the wall, it’s faster than plugging in a vacuum or hauling out a bulky
plastic broom. You might take it down three or four times a day without thinkingafter breakfast,
after taking off your shoes, after a snack on the couch. The act of sweeping shifts from “ugh,
I have to clean” to “I’ll just do a quick sweep while I’m here.”

Over time, many people realize they’re vacuuming less and sweeping more. The broom becomes the
first line of defense against everyday mess, with the vacuum reserved for deeper weekend cleanings.
Pet owners often like how gently the broom moves across floors, picking up fur without sending it
flying back into the air. Parents appreciate that the broom is quiet and safe enough for kids to
help with simple chores.

There are also small, practical details that only show up with experience. The curved handle means
the broom never slides off its hook when someone bumps into it. The flat head stores close to the
wall, so it doesn’t stick out and catch clothing or bags. The natural fibers age gracefully,
darkening slightly and softening at the edges without looking worn out or cheap.

Of course, no broom is perfect. Some users find that the smaller size makes it less efficient
for large, open floor plans where a full-size broom or wide vacuum head covers more ground at once.
But even in bigger homes, the Kake Bushou Broom tends to find a nicheoften in the kitchen or entry,
where quick clean-ups matter more than maximum coverage.

Perhaps the most interesting “experience” owners share is psychological: having a beautiful broom
visible on the wall subtly raises your standards for how the space looks. When your cleaning tools
feel considered and intentional, it’s easier to treat cleaning itself as a simple act of care rather
than a punishment. And if a handsome little broom is what nudges you to sweep more often, that’s a
design success in the truest sense.

Conclusion

The Kake Bushou Broom is more than a pretty cleaning tool. It’s a compact example of what happens
when traditional craft, smart design, and everyday life meet in the middle. With its natural
materials, umbrella-style handle, and elegant profile, it turns a basic household chore into
something calmer, quieter, and far more enjoyable.

If you’re drawn to objects that work hard, age well, and look good doing it, this small “lazy”
broom may be one of the most satisfying upgrades you can make to your homeno magic spell required.