2009/08/13

Furoshiki Cotton wrappers

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Cotton wrappers (furoshiki)

A piece of cotton cloth to wrap things, one of the most practical inventions.
They come in many shapes and decorations and are always a welcome present.






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A beckoning cat with Daruma




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Lines of small Daruma



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quote
Furoshiki (風呂敷)
are a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth that were frequently used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods. Although possibly dating back as far as the Nara period, the name, meaning "bath spread", derives from the Edo period practice of using them to bundle clothes while at the sentō (public baths;public furo).
Before becoming associated with public baths, furoshiki was known as hirazutsumi (平包), or flat folded bundle. Eventually, the furoshiki's usage extended to serve as a means for merchants to transport their wares or to protect and decorate a gift.

Modern furoshiki can be made of a variety of cloths, including silk, chirimen, cotton, rayon, and nylon. Furoshiki are often decorated with traditional designs or by shibori. There is no one set size for furoshiki, they can range from hand sized to larger than bed-sheets. The most common sizes are 45cm (17.7 inch) and 68-72cm (26.7-28.3 inch).

Although there are still furoshiki users in Japan, their numbers declined in the post-war period, in large part due to the proliferation of the plastic shopping bag. In recent years, it has seen a renewed interest as environmental protection became a concern. Furoshiki are, however, commonly used to wrap and transport lunch boxes (bento) and often double as a table mat for the lunch.

On March 6, 2006, the Japanese Minister of the Environment, Yuriko Koike, created a furoshiki cloth to promote its use in the modern world.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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How to use Furoshiki



Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan
source : www.env.go.jp/en/focus

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The most common pattern for Edo furoshiki:
. karakusa 唐草 / からくさ Karakusa art motives .
karakusa moyoo 唐草模様 Karakusa pattern. Karakusa arabesque
Chinesischen Arabesken und Rankenornamente


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From Kenema



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King Daruma and the Big Furoshiki

http://ameblo.jp/036company/entry-10665709546.html


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Hankerchief ハンカチ hankachi



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Click for many more bautiful souvenir furoshiki!
source : mingeijapan

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gamakuchi, gamaguchi がま口 purse
lit. "mouth of a toad"









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NHK Bi no Tsubo - file267 「がま口」
美しいがま口は美しく響く it has to make a nice sound
歴史ががま口を包み込む There is the history of the maker
共に時を刻む Get old with it together!

source : www.nhk.or.jp/tsubo





. Purses from 畳の縁 tatami heri border brocade .

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CLICK for more samples with Ukiyo-E prints !

. Ukiyo-E and Edo Culture .

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Japanese Reference


 WASHOKU
Furoshiki with Kyoto vegetable patterns



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H A I K U


みんみんの峠を越えし風呂敷よ
minmin no tooge o koeshi furoshiki yo

I crossed the pass
with the minmin cicadas -
oh this furoshiki !


Kunitake Izayoi 国武十六夜
Tr. Gabi Greve


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moon flower
I wrap my dreams
in furoshiki


Shared by Stella Pierides
Joys of Japan - Poetry

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ginza memories
live in the linen drawer
furoshiki


Shared by Elaine Andre
Joys of Japan - Poetry


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Edo Patterns on Cotton

. fukusa 袱紗 small crape wrapper cloth .
for the tea ceremony


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6 comments:

anonymous SH said...

More! More!
RDW

anonymous said...

I love these and we purchased many many in Japan for gifts and for us.
So beautiful and we found there are many sizes and prices.
SM Daruma Forum

Gabi Greve said...

LEGENDS about furoshiki

................................... Hyogo 兵庫県

A man once helped a monkey which was captured by an octopus and got a Furoshiki 風呂敷 wrapper as a thank-you present. That night he stayed at a lodge. There was a huge storm and a monster seemed to blow in. The man pulled out the Furoshiki and pulled it over his bed covers. Then the wind stopped. When he looked closer in the morning, he saw a slug in the Furoshiki and it seemed the monster had slipped on it and disappeared.

http://happyhaiku.blogspot.jp/2012/07/hute-snail-visitor.html
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and 47 to explore - nichibun yokai database
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Gabi Greve said...

gamaguchi as a backpack !
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カエルのがま口リュック
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Gabi Greve - Darumapedia said...

Legend about furoshiki
Iwate 岩手県 雫石町 Shizukuishi

Yamanokamisama no o-matsuri ヤマノカミ様のお祭り
At the village 南畑 / ミナミハタ Minamihata they have a festival in honor of Yamanokami. They all come together, a furoshiki 風呂敷 cloth wrapper around the head, dancing in the Shrine compound and then fall asleep all together, a custom known as zakone 雑魚寝.
This is also called daki matsuri 抱き祭 festival of embracing each other.
If people do not do it, the growth of asa 麻 hemp will be bad in the coming year.
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https://japanshrinestemples.blogspot.jp/2017/11/yama-no-kami-festivals-matsuri.html
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Gabi Greve said...

Legend from Ishikawa 石川県 鳳至郡 Fugeshi district 門前町 Monzen town
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chootamujina 長太ムジナ A badger named Chota
In the evening, walking on the narrow road from Minazuki toward Kamiozawa there is often the badger Chota coming out. He piles rocks on the road so that people can not pass. When travelers wander around the rocks their food will be stolen. The badger shape-shifts into a huge serpent or a monster and scares people. Once a man could feel the badger coming on and threw a stone at him. A man appeard and said "Let us have a fight!" "Let us compare the size of our kintama 金玉 "golden balls", testicles. (Badgers are famous for the size of their testicles.) They placed a furoshiki 木綿風呂敷 wraping cloth from cotton on the ground and the badger pulled out his testicles, in a hurry tearing them apart, so he fled back to the mountain. Since then he never appeared here.
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https://edoflourishing.blogspot.com/2020/08/cotton-momen.html