Conical hats woven from fragrant cypress wood are a traditional craft from Minaji, Motomiya-cho, Wakayama Prefecture. Long ago, after losing the Genpei War, Heike nobles who lived in hiding in this region wove hats from local cypress wood to support themselves. Widely used by nobles and commoners on pilgrimages to Kumano, they became known as kisen-gasa (commoner hats) or as minachi-gasa after the names of the places where they were produced. The woven structure of these hats allows air to pass through, making them light and cool. The oil in the cypress wood also repels water, which makes them useful for rain protection. Minachi gasa is an attractive craft that combines practicality with aesthetic value, but today there is only one craftsman who makes them.