MUSUBI appeared on "Japanology Plus by NHK world "!
See program:
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/japanologyplus/20210603/2032238/
On this program, Furoshiki is very well introduced along with Furoshiki History and Japanese lifestyle.
I reckon this is the best way to know what furoshiki is.
Please take look at it if you have time.
Mr. Peter Barakan visited Musubi Tokyo shop in Harajuku to take a look around furoshiki and learn how to use it.
He looked surprised because there are a wide range of furoshiki.
Traditional designs have special meanings.
Arabesque known as Karakusa which actually represents ivy.
”Ivy spreads and spreads, it goes on forever.
It carries a sense to something are striving like an unbroken line of descendance or a profitable business.
It signifies lasting success. For a long time it was a very popular pattern.”
He owns karakusa furoshiki in deeper green color, he said.
Next is Kai-awase(貝合わせ）
Mr. Barakan found a picture looks like a tale of Genji one of furoshiki Etsuko showed
It's shown within clams in fact.
"Clams are used because a shell matching game called Kai-awase which was popular among nobility in the 8 - 12th century.
Two parts of cram shells are separated, and you had to search for matching pairs.
Each shell had only one perfect match. So that's reason shells came to represent married couples."
These matching clams symbolize the desire for a couple to have a long happy life together.
Thus, Furoshiki has long long history.
In the 14th century, the cloth became a bathmat. This practice gave rise to the name Furoshiki.
Furo means a bath and Shiki to layout.
It started to spread to the general public in the 17th century.
In many cases, family crests helped to identify the personal belongings in the crowded bath house.
Etsuko showed two main types of making knots.
Mr. Peter learned how to use furoshiki, and he got the technique of wrapping two bottles.
He said he wants to use it for a dinner party.
One of the greatest merits of furoshiki is that it can wrap objects in any shape.
Mr. Peter was surprised because there are other things we can use it for although his image of furoshiki was a cloth for wrapping things.
He found it interesting.
-----------------------------------
Japanology Plus
Furoshiki: Wrapping Cloths
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/japanologyplus/20210603/2032238/
June 3, 2021
11:30 - 12:00 / 16:30 - 17:00 / 22:30 - 23:00
June 4, 2021 4:30 - 5:00
Furoshiki are traditional Japanese wrapping cloths. For hundreds of years,
these square pieces of fabric have been used to protect, store and carry various objects.
They often feature beautiful, colorful designs, and are works of art in their own right.
Our main guest, Yamada Etsuko, is the art director for a Furoshiki-making company.
She teaches Peter Barakan some common wrapping technique, and introduces both traditional and modern designs.
Ref. NHK WORLD - JAPAN
Host: Peter Barakan
Guest: Yamda Etsuko from MUSUBI
-----------------------------------