| While many people are familiar with
| |
| | one day. It can also reach an astounding
|
| Native American and African hand weaved
| |
| | thirty to sixty feet in height. The
|
| baskets, Japanese baskets are not so well
| |
| | Japanese tradition holds true with some
|
| known. These beautiful handcrafted
| |
| | of species of these plants, with one
|
| baskets that are constructed of bamboo
| |
| | plant living over one hundred and twenty
|
| have long been Japanese tradition.
| |
| | years and being recorded as flowering
|
| The art of Japanese basket weaving dates
| |
| | only once during that period.
|
| back to the Jomon period, which dated
| |
| | Due to its vast availability, the
|
| from 10,000 B.C.E (Before the Christian
| |
| | Japanese have used this plant for
|
| Era) to 300 B.C.E. These early baskets
| |
| | everything from musical instruments to
|
| were used as tools and were very basic in
| |
| | utensils. Many Japanese basket weavers
|
| design. Later, during the Yayoi period
| |
| | prefer to use bamboo taken from another
|
| that extended from 300 B.C.E. to A.D.
| |
| | item, such as old rafters and roofs.
|
| 300, baskets began to have intricate
| |
| | Because of the smoke from the fires and
|
| designs that showed that the people had
| |
| | stoves in these old buildings, the bamboo
|
| begun to appreciate basket weaving as an
| |
| | that is reused is a deep burgundy color,
|
| art form. From the nineteenth century on,
| |
| | eliminating the necessity of dyeing that
|
| Japanese artisans have used traditional
| |
| | is associated with the use of fresh
|
| Japanese weaving methods combined with
| |
| | bamboo.
|
| certain western techniques to weave
| |
| | The art of basket weaving is often passed
|
| baskets that can truly be called their
| |
| | down through family members, although a
|
| own.
| |
| | master basket weaver may also accept
|
| The Japanese have two names for
| |
| | novices into his household. These
|
| baskets-hanakago which means "flower
| |
| | students spend years studying under the
|
| basket" and hanaire which means "flower
| |
| | master before they even touch a strand of
|
| container." These people utilize these
| |
| | bamboo. When they are finally allowed to
|
| bamboo containers in the traditional tea
| |
| | weave, they are usually taught to imitate
|
| ceremony as well as the art of flower
| |
| | the Chinese style basket first. After the
|
| arranging, which is an integral part of
| |
| | novices become comfortable with their
|
| the Japanese culture.
| |
| | technique, the master will allow them to
|
| As mentioned earlier, Japanese baskets
| |
| | begin to work with the Japanese design.
|
| are woven mainly from bamboo, a species
| |
| | Today, there are many modern basket
|
| of grass that is hollow on the inside but
| |
| | weavers that teach their craft in a more
|
| also unbelievably strong. In Japan, this
| |
| | contemporary manner, even though these
|
| grass serves a variety of purposes. It is
| |
| | artists will admit that the traditional
|
| used as a building material and can also
| |
| | manner is much more educational and
|
| be eaten. It also has a mystical quality
| |
| | rewarding.
|
| about it. Japanese tradition states that
| |
| | Japanese weavers today do not need to
|
| the bamboo tree will only flower once in
| |
| | face the challenges that their Native
|
| its lifetime and that this occurrence
| |
| | American counterparts do as far as
|
| only happens once every hundred years.
| |
| | seeking the materials that they need.
|
| In reality, the climate found in Japan as
| |
| | Bamboo is still readily available which
|
| well as in Southeast Asia is ideal for
| |
| | should ensure the survival of traditional
|
| this type of grass. It is also one of the
| |
| | Japanese basket weaving for many years to
|
| fastest growing plants in the world, one
| |
| | come.
|
| plant recorded as growing 47.6 inches in
| |
| |
|
