Just before I left Washington D.C., I was in trouble. I had to send a big parcel to my home but I didn’t have a bag large enough to carry it to a post office. The post office was a few stops away by subway from where I was staying. I needed a container so that I could carry the parcel.
Do I have to hold it by hand? Oh no… that is too troublesome...
Then, a good idea came to my mind.
I have a furoshiki cloth!! Yes, I can use it!.
The furoshiki served me.
Have you ever heard of a furoshiki cloth?
A furoshiki cloth is a square cloth with various sizes such as 70 cm X 70 cm, 100 cm X 100 cm, etc. We use it to wrap anything. It is like a handkerchief, but it is bigger than a handkerchief, and thicker. Mine is made of rayon.
I had to be creative, because traditional ways of wrapping didn’t work. I did like this.
A furoshiki cloth is one of the amazing Japanese wisdoms. It originated from the Nara period (710-784).
You might be wondering… why do we have to wrap things?
Wrapping protects the inside items. And a furoshiki makes it easier to carry the items.
Furoshiki cloths are light and small.
They don’t take space.
Furoshiki cloths are versatile.
They can change their shape, so they can wrap and carry various types of items.
Furoshiki cloths are art.
You will find your favorite designs.
They can be decorations on the wall.
Why did I have a furoshiki cloth in Washington D.C.?
I always bring a few furoshiki cloths when I travel. It is a very convenient item to make compartments in a suitcase, meaning I wrap lingerie and socks by a furoshiki, and also wrap T-shirts by another, and wrap towels by another.
It can be used as a scarf or a shawl when it is chilly.
It is just one piece of cloth. But it can change its shape without limitations.
FUN WORK
1. Make your own furoshiki with your favorite design.
A furoshiki is a convenient item. You can make it by yourself. Buy a piece of cloth with your favorite design, for example, 100 cm X 100 cm. Make sure to make it square, and oversew it so that threads are not coming out.
2. Find your own way to wrap or carry something. Be creative. There is no right or wrong answer as long as it works.
If you want to learn traditional ways to use a furoshiki, see this link.
Do you have a wrapping culture in your country? Share with us by commenting below.
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