Paper Crane Shower (折り鶴シャワー)

Do you know the story of the 1,000 origami cranes (千羽鶴)? It's a famous story in Japan about a girl named Sadako Sasaki (佐々木禎子), who tried to stave off her death from leukemia as a result of radiation from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima during the World War II by making 1,000 origami cranes. She folded 644 and died before she could reach her goal, but her classmates went on to fold the remaining 356 cranes in time for her funeral.

Her story of folding paper cranes has resonated around the world as a universal symbol of peace. Cranes also represent a gesture of caring and sympathy. In Japan, many elementary school students learn how to fold paper cranes in school, often before a trip to Hiroshima, and as a class fold 1,000 to bring with them.

I made 100 (but not 1,000) cranes for my friend last weekend. Not because she is hospitalized or anything like that but for her wedding! It's become more and more popular to use paper cranes as wedding decoration here in the states. But do you know about Paper Crane Shower (折り鶴シャワー)? In Japan, the crane is also a symbol of honor and loyalty, so it makes perfect symbol for a wedding. In the past 2 years, it's also become more and more popular for the newlywed in Japan to do Paper Crane Shower (折り鶴シャワー) instead of Flower Shower. I like this idea very much, You can ask your family and friends to make the cranes for you, or with you, it's a good chance to get your family and friends involved and bring them closer. It also save some money, and you can have the cranes in any color you want. M friends told me that little kids also had fun picking up the cranes after the wedding.

A thousand paper cranes is also traditionally given as a wedding gift by the folder, who is wishing a thousand years of happiness and prosperity upon the couple. It can also be gifted to a new baby for long life and good luck. Hanging a Senbazuru (千羽鶴) in one's home is thought to be a powerfully lucky and benevolent charm.

If you are going to have a wedding, maybe you should think about doing this Paper Crane Shower (折り鶴シャワー). You don't have to make 1,000 of them, 2 to 3 hundred will do!

Happy Friday!

Yesterday I finished folding 50 of the Origami Boxes and hand cutting 750 pieces of the heart shape Chiyogami Stickers for a custom order. I am very happy to know that people want to use my origami boxes as party favors!


The other happy news is that my Cute Japanese House Wooden Rubber Stamp is featured in Etsy's treasury page! This is the first time my goods get featured, I feel very good about it.

Have a happy Friday and happy weekend everyone!

New in My Store---A Boxful of Japanese Hand-screened Chiyogami/Yuzen Paper

A Boxful of Japanese Hand-screened Chiyogami/Yuzen Paper---there are 200 pieces assorted Japanese Chiyogami in a beautiful chiyogami box.

The box measured approximately 6.5 x 6.5 x 5.5 cm (about 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.125 inches), and the papers measured approximately 5.8 x5.8 cm (about 2.25 x 2.25 inches).

These beautiful papers are perfect for wedding and party invitations, place cards and thank you cards, scrapbooking, jewelry making, greeting cards, or, use them as little notes, and for any other craft projects. I'm sure you'll think of many more uses! It also makes a perfect gift!

These are Hand Screened Printed in Japan. I have only the blue one and the red one left. Leave me a message to let me know which one you preferred when you place the order. Thanks.

Chiyogami Stickers in Origami Box (折り紙ボックス)

I was looking at the Chiyogami stickers I made the other day, just by looking at these beautiful papers sooth me. Then suddenly I had an idea: what don't I make some Origami boxes so I can put the stickers in? So I did and here they are! I like them, these made me happy, again.

I also put some in my Etsy shop. If you are interested, please click here.

Chiyogami Stickers (千代紙シール)

In the package I received couple days ago, I got this---Assorted Chiyogami Set! Even though I already have a lot of Chiyogami in my studio, I still love them, never get enough of them. Since I had some time yesterday, I decided to turn these beautiful papers into something. I've seen many talented people turned these end papers into beautiful Chiyogami pendants, magnets and coasters...etc. I don't know how to make those things, and these papers were not big enough to make tags, so I thought I would make them into some beautiful and useful stickers!





Little tips on how to recognize the real Chiyogami:
(source from The Japanese Paper Place)

1. Intense color and resistance to fading. The pigment-based inks used in authentic Chiyogami create a distinctively intense color that stands up well to fading and use.

2. Color layers. You can often see or feel the different layers of color applied on the base sheet.

3. Paste residue. On the back of each sheet of genuine Chiyogami you will often find a harmless paste residue. This comes from the papers being temporarily pasted to boards as they travel from one color station to the next.

{Right: Offset reproduction; Left: Hand-silkscreened.
image via The Japanese Paper Place}

Now on the market you can see digital-print-out Chiyogami, Offset -pint-out Chiyogami, Hand-screened and Woodblock Chiyogami, and the price varies.

Chiyogami Tags (千代紙タグ)

My job deals with a lot of paper, so I have a lot of left over papers. No matter what kind of paper, I just can't bring myself to throw these papers away, so I have whole box of them. The other day I picked out all the Chiyogami papers. I looked at these beautiful Japanese papers and decided to turn them into something I have a thing for---tags!

I love these tags and try to use them everywhere I can. I keep a set of these with me for when I buy a bottle of wine on my way to a party; put in an envelope to send a message to a friend; put on a gift bag or a present, use as placement card, or just simply use it as bookmarks. These are also good scrapbooking embellishments. I can never have enough of these on hand!

If you are interested in these tags, you can check here. It's $4.75 for a set of 5 plus shipping.

FYI, some people asked me what's the difference between Yuzen and Chiyogami? What I found is:

Yuzen patterns were originally designed for the textile industry in Kyoto where the production of cloth for kimonos reached its zenith. Yuzen designs were very elaborate, and included a lot of gold.

Chiyogami is a specific word developed to describe the graphic, repetitive designs applied to paper in the Edo period. Originally these patterns were printed by woodblock for use in paper doll and small accessory making. In the twentieth century, these patterns began to be applied using silkscreens and this continues today.

Today, as Yuzen textile patterns join the traditional Chiyogami ones on paper, both terms are used interchangeably.

Chiyogami (千代紙）

I have a thing for papers. I especially have a thing for traditional Japanese Paper---Chiyogami (千代紙). I'm always very excited when I receive my Chiyogami supplies. I often ask my family or friends to bring me some whenever I have a change. Just by looking at these beautiful papers sooth me and make me very happy.

Chiyogami (千代紙) is brightly patterned Japanese paper — or Washi (和紙, wa meaning Japanese and shi meaning paper) as you might be familiar with— on which all kinds of beautiful flowers, characters or family seals are printed. These intricate designs never seem to lose their magical brilliance and maybe that’s one of their secrets since, until today, people keep being intrigued by them, including me.

It is said that Chiyogami was first produced in Kyoto (京都) around the 17th century. At that time, luxurious paper called Kyo-chiyogami (京千代紙) was used as wrapping paper by the aristocratic class. In those days, Chiyogami was made from high quality paper, a luxury that average folks could never afford. Originally, Kyo-chiyogami was decorated with patterns associated with aristocratic families (有職文様).

By the middle of the Edo Period (江戸時代), painters, carvers, and printers developed the hand-carved wooden block technique of producing Ukiyo-e (浮世絵) prints. As this technique was being developed, it became easy for everyone to get Japanese paper, and eventually the common class was finally able to enjoy it as well.

As Japan rushes with the rest of the world into the 21st Century, and more modern technologies take over, machines produce similar-looking papers which have qualities very different from authentic washi. As of the fall of 2008, there remained fewer than 350 families still engaged in the production of paper by hand.

Other than wrapping paper, Chiyogami can also be used to make little boxes, paper cranes, dolls, bookmarks, and so much more. The possibilities are endless, it’s up to your creativity to make this paper comes to life!

By the way, my friend Maria McElroy, founder of Aroma M perfume, she uses Chiyogami to package her perfumes, it's very pretty and unique, you should check it out.

美しい花々、文字、家紋などが刷られた和紙、千代紙。その色褪せることない美しいデザインは、今でも多くの人々を魅了し、日々近代化され てゆく私たちの生活に、ちょっとした癒しを与えてくれる。また、時代や地域によって、千代紙の絵柄や色使いなどのデザインは全く異なっている。

千代紙の始まりはおよそ1700年頃の京都といわれている。貴族達の贈り物の包装紙として作られた「京千代紙」が最初と言われている。上質な和紙を使って 作られた千代紙は、その頃の庶民にとって到底手の届かない高級品だったようだ。元々京千代紙には、貴族の伝統的な文様（有職文様）が施されていたらしい が、町人文化が盛んになるにつれて、徐々にその文様も京都の伝統・文化にちなんだものが増えた。

やがて、江戸時代の中頃になると、絵師・彫師・刷師の3者によって作られる浮世絵の木版手刷りの技術が確立された。その技術の発展とともに、誰もが手にすることのできた身近な和紙を使って、江戸千代紙が作り出されるようになり、庶民も楽しめるようになった。