Each object of the practical arts (so-called Mingei folk crafts) such as pottery, lacquer work, or textile, which emerged spontaneously from people’s daily lives usually has a background story about its production.
For instance, if we want to deepen our understanding of the beauty of straw work, we probably need to imagine the winter life of agricultural people – as it is to do with the creation of the craftwork.

Winter –

To the people who lived in the time without heating or lighting, it must have been felt like a season of a long dark tunnel. ‘How to survive the poor harvest winter’ was a life-or-death issue for agricultural people who lived on rice making.

At the same time, there were people who came up with the genius idea of using the off-season efficiently as a season for practical arts-making. They were the special people who came to re-discover hulled rice straw as a material for producing something new rather than a waste product. They found straw, which is easy to work on, as a versatile material which could be used widely for purposes such as building materials (roof), clothing ornaments (Mino raincoat or Zori sandals), and craftwork (living tools or religious ritual objects including Shimenawa ropes).

‘Weaving straw’ – this new winter business gradually became a standard for agricultural communities across Japan, and grew as a foundation for their culture of everyday life.

This crane and tortoise are decorative straw works, handmade by a contemporary craftsman Kiyoshi Joko (based in Ehime Prefecture).

The animals of perpetual youth and long life, which are prayed for the longevity of human life, are sitting beautifully. They do not seem to be by-products of the agricultural off-season. It is a minimalistic expression of beauty while making good use of the familiar straw material, contrary to the luxury artworks made for the ruling class.

Mr Joko patiently grows rice, harvests it carefully by hand, and uses it for his creation. In the wintry desolation when the rice field sinks in its brown colour after harvest, the weaving work of straw, the residue of farming, is not only the business of off-season but is also almost an act of prayer for eventual spring.
When thinking nostalgically upon such a background, we can probably feel further the depth in the beauty of Mingei folk craft in our hands.

Hirotaka Haruyama
KOHARUAN