Japanese traditional crafts reflecting the needs from everyday use

What image would you have when you hear the word traditional crafts?

Traditional may give you some impression that relates to something expensive, significant, and has artistic value; it may also suggest that would not fit in daily use.

However, it is not necessarily so.

Aizu region, where I introduced in the last article, cultivates cotton, and the cotton is well-reputed as a material of traditional craft.

Cotton is not expensive and is so convenient in use that it has been used mainly for cloth. In fact, cotton in Aizu has been used for daily cloths and wears for working on a farm since the past.

As times change, Aizu cotton has been used for other applications besides cloths. For example, bags, business card holders, book covers, etc. Depending on the variation of its stripe-design, it is also used for curtains. For some, you may not be able to recognize that the material is cotton at a glance. Business card holders made of cotton should draw attention because they usually use materials like leather or some light metals.

With above examples, you will see that Aizu cotton is used not only for cloths but also for various products. Many of those new applications have been introduced based on the needs of users, and well accepted from time to time.

I bought a business card holder and a book cover. I have found they are quite comfortable in use and I have been getting fond of them gradually.

 Aizu cotton having been used for many years in tradition and well established as a brand, I believe it has high flexibility to fit in many new applications.

This should also be the case with other traditional crafts. Preservation of old style in old applications need to be kept, in the mean time, like Aizu cotton, I am sure that new applications reflecting people’s needs in the span of time should also give liveliness and freshness in tradition.


Written by Yabuuchi