■ A collaboration to pass on the traditional techniques of "Sekishu Washi," a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage , and the global environment to the next generation.

This is a collaborative product with Yamauchi Kamifuori, a company that produces dyed and woven items using Sekishu washi paper. We have created a coaster with the motif of Iwami Kagura, a dance that is popular in the Iwami region of Shimane.
The warp threads are made from "TSUMUGI" and the weft threads are made from paper threads made from "Sekishu Washi".

■Product overview and design concept

Product name: Dragon

Design: Dragons have been worshipped since ancient times as "dragon gods" that control the sea and rain.
Many of the costumes in Iwami Kagura are depicted with impressive dragons rampaging about, but this one in particular depicts a dragon descending from the heavens, which is said to bring good fortune to earth.

Size: 11cm x 10cm

Sales price: 2,990 yen (tax included)

Country of Origin: Japan

Unclassified fiber (washi paper) 100%

■Product Features
Paper thread is lightweight, yet smooth to the touch, and the beautiful colors and unique texture of the indigo dye give it a traditional Japanese feel.

The pattern is also woven using a special technique called ikat weaving. In this technique, the threads that will become the pattern are tied with vinyl tape and then dyed with indigo. The vinyl tape is then untied and the weaving continues, revealing the white pattern in the parts that were not dyed with indigo.

As a result, the outlines of the pattern appear slightly misaligned and blurred, creating a unique texture that can only be achieved through hand-made work and cannot be reproduced by dyeing pre-woven fabric.