Monday, December 19, 2022
On December 18 (Sun.), a snowy day, a straw craft workshop "Shime-nawa (sacred rope) making workshop" was held at COCOWA, a commercial revitalization facility in Hokuryu Town, hosted by a straw craft group "Nakura" (Representative: Katsura Tanimoto).
About 30 people from Hokuryu Town, Fukagawa City, Imoseguro Town, Numata Town, and other neighboring municipalities participated. Everyone of all ages, from children to adults, enjoyed the straw-making experience in a friendly atmosphere.
- 1 Hands-on experience of making a shimenawa rope using rice straw
- 2 Making shimenawa (sacred straw ropes) and wreaths for New Year's decorations
- 2.1 Shime-nawa making group, Instructor: Kunimitsu Abe
- 2.2 Leeds Production Group, Instructor: Ms. Kaori Asano
- 2.2.1 The straw bundle is divided into three parts and twisted.
- 2.2.2 The rope is made to nestle in the spiral of the mesh of the main rope.
- 2.2.3 The ends of the rolls are joined together to form a loop.
- 2.2.4 Cut the overhanging straw ends and prepare the entire piece.
- 2.2.5 Choose your favorite decoration.
- 2.2.6 With a variety of decorations.
- 2.2.7 While gluing with a glue gun.
- 2.2.8 Decorate with various decorations such as ears of rice and colored mizuhiki.
- 2.2.9 Put on a lot of nice decorations....
- 2.3 Comments from participants
- 2.4 Commemorative photo with works
- 3 Youtube Video
- 4 More Photos
- 5 Related Articles and Websites
Hands-on experience of making a shimenawa rope using rice straw
Shimenawa, a sacred New Year's decoration, is used to welcome the New Year's gods.
While hemp is used for shimenawa at Ise Jingu Shrine and Makomo, a member of the rice family, is used at Izumo Taisha Shrine, Hokuryu-cho uses rice straw for shimenawa.
Rice straw from Hokuryu Town, material for lovely wreaths
This is an experience of making "shimenawa (sacred straw rope)" and "oshogatsu (New Year's decoration) wreaths" using straw from local farmers in Hokuryu Town.
Cute materials for New Year's decoration wreaths
The materials used for the decoration for Leeds include rice straw, ears of rice, sprigs of fir, pine cones (dried and colored after boiling), pine needles, mizuhiki, Japanese ribbons, senryo, cotton flowers, shishito (red pepper), dried flowers, and many other types of materials! You can freely select your favorite decoration!
Making shimenawa (sacred straw ropes) and wreaths for New Year's decorations
Divided into two groups, the shimenawa making was conducted by Kunimi Abe and the New Year decoration leasing was conducted under the careful guidance of Kaori Asano, in two parts from 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively.
Shime-nawa making group, Instructor: Kunimitsu Abe
The shimenawa is a sacred ornament used to welcome the gods, so before starting the ceremony, we join our hands together and straighten our posture.
At first, the straw is twisted by rubbing it with both hands. The straw is twisted while rotating to the right, and then twisted in a leftward motion while crossing the twisted strings," says Abe.
Principle of unraveling" due to the twisting of the rope
First, check the "unraveling principle" of twisted shimenawa ropes with a towel. When each rope that has been rotated right is combined with a left rotation, the combined ropes do not collapse due to the repulsive action of the reverse rotation.
While holding it between your legs.
Twist the straw between your legs while rubbing it with both hands.
Repeatedly twisted and twisted
The ropes are twisted and twisted repeatedly, and then braided together.
A shimenawa is attached to a paper rope.
The paper hanging, meaning "sacred" or "clean," is attached to the shimenawa to represent a "sacred place."
Leeds Production Group, Instructor: Ms. Kaori Asano
First, the straw is moistened by spraying it with water. Each bundle of straw is then tightened up by right-angling and leaning on it.
The third twisted strand is nestled into the spiral of the mesh of the main rope, and then fitted and woven (naku). When the twine is finished, it is tightened with string, and the two ends are joined together to form a loop.
You can choose whatever you like and glue it on with wire or a glue gun," explained Mr. Asano, carefully instructing the participants.
The straw bundle is divided into three parts and twisted.
The rope is made to nestle in the spiral of the mesh of the main rope.
The ends of the rolls are joined together to form a loop.
Cut the overhanging straw ends and prepare the entire piece.
Choose your favorite decoration.
With a variety of decorations.
While gluing with a glue gun.
Decorate with various decorations such as ears of rice and colored mizuhiki.
Put on a lot of nice decorations....
Comments from participants
- It was my first experience and it was a lot of fun!
- It was a valuable experience to touch straw.
- It's surprisingly difficult to decorate a wreath, but it's fun to choose decorations!
- It was good to understand the direction and meaning of weaving shimenawa.
Commemorative photo with works
Everyone was full of smiles, holding up their wonderful finished products and posing high!
Sacred shimenawa (sacred straw rope) & wreaths made from local rice straw!
笑顔あふれ、明るく楽しいパワーが漲るハッピータイム♡
With boundless love, gratitude and prayers, adults and children alike share the joy and excitement of making shimenawa ropes and wreaths together in the workshop "Making Shime-nawa & Wreaths". 
Youtube Video
More Photos
Related Articles and Websites
Monday, November 28, 2022 Next month, on Sunday, December 18, at the Hokuryu-cho commercial revitalization facility "Cocowa," the straw craft group "Na...
◇ Photography and Editing: Noboru Terauchi Reporting and Writing: Ikuko Terauchi
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