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Furoshiki are traditional Japanese wrapping cloths. This one would make an especially nice wall hanging, tablecloth or a super, traditional way to carry your martial arts gear or kimono, too! It features a traditional motif of a type of ebi(shrimp) that looks similar to a lobster but without the claws. For centuries, shrimp have symbolized good fortune and health in Japan and this design is an especially powerful one. In Kyoto, many customers buy this design as gifts for auspicious occasions such as weddings as well as for themselves. This fabric is just as special, it has a wonderful, rich texture and weight to it that the pictures can't do justice. You'll be nothing but thrilled with it when you touch it and can see the detail and colors close-up. This one's quite large at 41 3/4" wide and 41 1/2" long, and is a thick, high quality 100% cotton. The rich colors and texture and size make it ideal for your bedroom wall or workout space. I'll also include English instructions on how to wrap furoshiki, so you can use it to carry your workout gear or kimono, etc. I have another furoshiki listed of the same size and fabric and color scheme, in a carp fighting its way upstream motif that would make a wonderful compliment to this one. As you can see from the pictures, the subtle yet striking gradations in hue produce some wonderful shades of blue and red that are quintessentially Japanese.
Hayashi San(Mr. Hayashi) took over the business from his father, and his company has been making real, quality furoshiki like this for over 70 years now, right here in Kyoto. he also happens to be a friend of one of my students, and so I was able to meet with him and when I told him about my desire to give people outside Japan the chance to try his furoshiki, he was happy to give me his best price, which makes these even less than you'd pay for them in a store in Kyoto, even with the shipping included! As with many traditional things here, furoshiki are not as commonly used as they once were, and without increased support, both in Japan and abroad, it's inevitable the number of furoshiki companies will keep thinning.
I've been looking for an authentic source for furoshiki for some time now, and was so glad to find Hayashi San. Here's a picture of him, with a selection of furoshiki he brought to me, including others I'll be listing soon. His company is a member of the Furoshiki Study Group, which is made up of Japan's surviving 40 or so Furoshiki companies. They aim to introduce people to the beauty and practicality of furoshiki. And then he gave me a tying lesson, using the furoshiki wrapped on the bottle of sake he'd just given me. You'll never hear me complain about a lack of perks!
I was also fascinated to learn a bit about the rich history of furoshiki, which is quite long and colorful. As a student of Japanese language, I was surprised to realize that 'furo' is from the word for bath. I'd never thought to connect the two! And 'shiki' is a thing that is spread on the ground. It seems that In the Edo Period, from the 17th to 19th century, furoshiki were used to wrap the clean clothes in, carried the just worn clothes home, and in between, were spread on the bath house floor to stand on while changing.
The only thing cheap about this is the price, made possible by my lucky introduction to the head of the company and his hope that furoshiki will win over new fans everywhere.
Airmail anywhere in the world is just $5.50, and these are available for instant purchase, as are other beautiful furoshiki, including the carp design, and rabbits, too. These make great gifts, and I'm offering a special flat rate shipping charge. Buy more than one and you'll still pay just $5.50, I'll take care of the rest.
Thanks for looking, I hope the Year of the Boar is treating you well!
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