The famous Tsumami-zaiku artist will talk about their thoughts about Tsumami-zaiku.
Profile:
2017 Start taking correspondence course of tsumami zaiku and self-learned from books.
2020 After leaving my main job, I started to focus on tsumami zaiku.
Opened a shop online and started selling tsumami zaiku and dyed fabrics.
Q1. How did you start working on Tsumami-zaiku? (Or did you get involved?)
Ever since I was a child, I loved handicrafts and have been making all kinds of things. I was also interested in traditional crafts such as tsumami-zaiku and hanging ornaments because of my mother’s interest in antiques and kimonos.
After I started making a basic tsumami zaiku kit, I was completely fascinated by the charm of tsumami zaiku and started making my own works by watching books and videos.
In the past few years, I took a leave of absence from my main job due to thyroid disease, which gave me more time to work on tsumami zaiku. Although it is a self-taught process, I enjoy creating the shape of what I imagine.
Q2. What are your commitments to your work and what do you care about?
I also like to dye fabrics, and since I dye raw silk crepe myself, I am trying to create works that make the best use of fabrics. My policy is to not waste the fabric and use it up. I am very grateful for the fabrics of many dyeing artists.
I also value my own inspiration and try to create works that I feel are my own. I look at the fabric and visualize the work in my mind and try to give it a form.
My main job before I took a leave of absence was as a researcher dealing with units of micrometers, so I am very good at detailed work, and I utilize this ability to make fine work.
Q3. What is the attractiveness of Tsumami-zaiku for you?
The charm of this art is that you can create an infinite number of different works with a simple process of folding the fabric and applying glue. Also, it is easy for anyone from children to the elderly to make.
Once you learn how to fold them, you can make your own creations with various combinations of fabrics and colors. There are many artists making unique works, and it is fun not only to make them but also to watch them.
My 85-year-old mother also started making tsumami zaiku under my influence and is enjoying it! She makes a large tsumami zaiku, and this is her uniqueness. I feel that it is really something that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
Q4. What do you think about the future possibilities of Tsumami-zaiku?
I hope that it will become something that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of country or age. I believe that the traditional craft of tsumami zaiku, which has existed since the Edo period (1603-1868), will be a popular art in many countries and ages. It’s simple to make, so I would be happy if many people could experience it and spread it to the world. I hope that I can be a part of it.
Q5. What do you want to make in the future?
I would like to express lovely flowers, the color of the sky, the shape
In the future I would like to make my own works, from habutae to crape, doing everything from dyeing to making tsumami. For now, I am making accessories such as earrings and hair ornaments, but I would also like to challenge making tsumami-ga and large works.
I would like to create works that express myself. It’s fun to imagine the work I want to make and then give it a form. For the time being, will complete the Kimetsu no yaiba (Demon Slayer) series!
