videos and stories

Futonyasan

We were lucky to encounter one of the worlds best Futonmakers. They live 10 minutes from our grandmothers village.

Shiojichan

One of our longterm friends in our grandmothers village is shiojichan (saltgrandfather). He used to make Obis, the belt of a Kimono. After retirement he started to produce salt. We still hope to join him one day to sing Karaoke together.

Bento January 2022

In January 2022 we made another Bento project. We prepared dishes all following the recipes of Soei Yoneda. Her vegan and seasonal recipes can be found in the book called “Good food from a japanese temple.” We reproduced the Bento at our mothers kitchen to film the process of creating a Bentobox. We also added a piece of Makrel which is not vegan. We also added some video-sequences we took at the project itself. You will recognize it hearing the techno music in the background.

Blanket Shop

In Amino we found a small two-men Futon producer. Yuichi and Noriko are leading the business in the third generation. Besides Futons Noriko started to remake slight Blankets out of high-quality, 12 meter long Chirimen-fabrics. As a sample we brought home six different Blankets. They are all 100% silk, hand-painted and one piece only. Through the weaving pattern of Chirimen the silk falls softly and light on the skin and adjusts itself easily to the formation of the body. The blanket can be hand-washed with cold water, nevertheless a professional chemical cleaning is recommended as the weaving structure of Chirimen silk is very sensitive.

Want to read the story?

When we were in Japan our father asked us to send home a real japanese Futon as he remembered to have such a nice sleep when visiting Mitsu. Our grandmother has around twenty Futons so we asked her where she bought them. She explained that earlier they made the Futons themselves but if we want to buy one, there is a Shop in Amino. Without hesitating she called the Shop and half an hour later we met Noriko and Yuichi in their Futon manufacture. The manufacture is led in the third generation and the couple produces mainly Futons (blankets, mattres and pillows). Yuichi showed us the whole production process which contains almost only handwork (see video in the Futon-shop). After we ordered the Futon for our father Noriko showed us slight Blankets she made out of Kimono fabrics. As the demand for Kimonos suddenly dropped thirty years ago, the fabric producers kept working producing highest quality silk fabric without ever finding a demand for it. The fabrics are about 30 centimeters wide and 12 meters long. Noriko‘s Parents were one of the largest fabric producers in Amino – that‘s why she knows a lot about all the fabrics and also how to handle it. The hand painted pattern is only on one side of the fabric, so Noriko must fold it and has to find a way that the pattern looks nice stoat together. She calls the process “Kimono-remake”. In japanese tradition every ceremony was attended with a Kimono but recently suits and dresses were getting more popular. Kimonos are worn fewer and fewer. As about 60 years ago only Kimonos were worn people are still having a lot of high-quality Kimonos at home. Customers send Noriko their favorite Kimono to transform it to a Blanket, so they can still see and use the wonderful fabric. As a trial we went to Osaka to buy Kimono fabrics and asked Noriko to produce the blankets out of it. You can see the samples in the Blanket Shop. They are all unique, one piece only and 100% silk.

About the region Kyotango and Tango Chirimen.

Back in the days Kyoto was the capital of Japan. The emperor, his entourage and many rich people were living in Kyoto. This led to a high demand in Kimonos. In Kyotango it was possible to cultivate the mulberry in an efficient way. Mulberry the silkworms only food and the short distance to Kyoto led Kyotango to become a famous silk fabric region. After world war second the demand of Kimonos had it‘s last peak. Our grandparents produced Obis, the belt of a Kimono. Actually, the whole village and almost everybody we know in Kyotango was somehow related to Kimono fabrication. At this time, they tend to say, every time the sleigh of the weaving machine changes the side, one hundred yen is going in their pocket. As children we heard the “chack-chack” of the waving machines out of every house. Today the sound has gotten very rare and probably won‘t be heard anymore soon.

Futonyasan

Shiojichan

Bento January 2022

Futonyasan

Japanese Futon

Salt Shop

Sea Salt Plain

Sea Salt Ume

Sea Salt Yuzu

Miso Shop

Kyotango Set

Miso

Blanket Shop

Komon orange

Ryuku Bangata

Edo Komon same

Yuzen

Komon Flower

Edo Komon Dots