cooper; bucket maker; well maker
A traditional craftsman who makes wooden buckets, tubs, and wells. The term is somewhat specialized and may be less familiar in modern contexts.
My grandfather worked as a cooper for many years.
There is still only one bucket maker left in this town.
Compound of 桶 (oke, 'bucket, tub') and 屋 (ya, 'shop, dealer, person who does'). The exact historical derivation is straightforward; the word simply denotes a person or shop dealing in buckets.