DAIFUKUCHO OBI (paper sash)
Yamagata Prefecture
Material: Washi paper
This kimono sash was made from recycled daifukucho, the account books kept by merchants. That such items could be used to make a sash attest to the durability of washi paper and the skills of papermaking artisans. The obi was made by cutting the paper evenly into thin strips, turning them into strings of paper, and tying them together with silk thread. Daifukucho obi is an ingenious solution to the scarcity of cloth in the Tohoku district, where cotton did not grow. Black and red writing faintly appears on the surface, giving character to each obi. They are light, warm, and durable, and the rich washi texture deepens with continued use.
大福帳の帯 （紙布）
山形県
素材：和紙
和紙で作られた大福帳(日々のことが書き綴られた昔の商売用などの帳面)を再利用してできた作品。日本の和紙の丈夫さ、紙すきの技術の高さをうかがわせます。大福帳の帯は、紙を細かく切りそろえ、こよりにして糸を作り、絹糸で織り上げたものです。綿花のとれなかった東北では布は大変貴重で、さまざまな素材で布を作った暮らしの知恵の一つです。かつて書かれた墨や朱の文字の跡がほのかに見え、表情豊か。軽く、暖かく、丈夫。使い込むほどに味わい深くなる和紙の風合いが魅力です。
