Exhibition/event has ended.
Silk Crepe Handiworks
Tobacco & Salt Museum
Finished
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Chirimen, also known as crepe, is a delicate and fine silk fabric with a bumpy texture that has been valued since the Edo Period (1603-1868) right up to the present day as a material for kimono production in Japan. Pieces that were made from left over crepe fabric are these days known as “Chirimen-zaiku crepe work.” Shigeyoshi Inoue, Director of the Japan Toy Museum, was the first to refer to this fine needlework as “Chirimen-zaiku,” and since naming it such in 1986, this name has become established nationwide through exhibitions and publications.
In the latter half of the Edo Period, women in wealthy households, such as samurai families, merchants and Imperial household maids began sewing left over crepe fabrics into beautiful pouches and small decorative boxes. In this way, the valuing of small amounts of fabrics, aesthetic sense and crafts which taught hand dexterity became a part of the cultural refinement of Japanese women. From the Meiji Period (1868-1912), crepe work became a subject for girls at school, and girls competed to develop interesting designs, referring to sewing specialty books. Crepe was formed into pouches with flowers or animals for holding fragrances and plectrums for playing the koto, pouches formed into toys or dolls as lucky charms for children, and the custom of using crepe pouches as part of bridal dowries was also observed in the Chubu and Tokai regions of central Japan.
This exhibition, held under the auspice of Tobacco & Salt Museum and Japan Toy Museum consists of two sections, the first section being a collection of old works from the 17th century to the first half of the 20th century, which will introduce the history and culture of crepe work. The second section will exhibit Heisei (1989~) crepe work by season and type, showing its revival today through the reconstruction work of the Japan Toy Museum. You will also be able to view “hanging decorations” and small “decorated umbrellas” that demonstrate the enjoyment of crepe work and the pleasure of giving.
In the latter half of the Edo Period, women in wealthy households, such as samurai families, merchants and Imperial household maids began sewing left over crepe fabrics into beautiful pouches and small decorative boxes. In this way, the valuing of small amounts of fabrics, aesthetic sense and crafts which taught hand dexterity became a part of the cultural refinement of Japanese women. From the Meiji Period (1868-1912), crepe work became a subject for girls at school, and girls competed to develop interesting designs, referring to sewing specialty books. Crepe was formed into pouches with flowers or animals for holding fragrances and plectrums for playing the koto, pouches formed into toys or dolls as lucky charms for children, and the custom of using crepe pouches as part of bridal dowries was also observed in the Chubu and Tokai regions of central Japan.
This exhibition, held under the auspice of Tobacco & Salt Museum and Japan Toy Museum consists of two sections, the first section being a collection of old works from the 17th century to the first half of the 20th century, which will introduce the history and culture of crepe work. The second section will exhibit Heisei (1989~) crepe work by season and type, showing its revival today through the reconstruction work of the Japan Toy Museum. You will also be able to view “hanging decorations” and small “decorated umbrellas” that demonstrate the enjoyment of crepe work and the pleasure of giving.
Schedule | Jan 23 (Tue) 2018-Apr 8 (Sun) 2018 Opening Hours Information
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| Fee | Adults and University Students: ¥300, High School, Junior High and Elementary School Students: ¥100, Seniors Over 65: ¥150. | ||||
| Website | https://www.jti.co.jp/Culture/museum_e/exhibition/2018/1801jan/ | ||||
| Venue | Tobacco & Salt Museum https://www.tabashio.jp/en/index.html | ||||
| Location | 1-16-3 Yokokawa, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 130-0003 | ||||
| Access | 8 minute walk from Tokyo Skytree Station on the Tobu Skytree line, 10 minute walk from exit A2 at Honjo Azumabashi Station on the Toei Asakusa line, 12 minute walk from Oshiage (Skytree) Station on the Hanzomon, Asakusa, Keisei and Skytree lines. | ||||
| Phone | 03-3622-8801 | ||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it |
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