こより

This Koyori Series has been a long-term seller for over 30 years since it was first created from the wish to expand the use of paper in our daily life. The main use of paper has been reduced to printing paper and writing paper in the modern living environment; however, it used to support and facilitate the Japanese lifestyle in diverse ways, well symbolized by traditional Japanese-style houses consisting, in the main, of paper and wood in the main. Paper was not only applied to fusuma, a thick-papered sliding door, and shoji, a paper sliding screen, but also widely used for bowls and containers. These paper vessels are characterised by their formation using Japanese lacquer. There are such traditional methods as “dry lacquer formation” and “Nagato”. The former repeatedly lacquers the groundwork which is fashioned by gluing such materials as paper and hemp cloth with Japanese lacquer; and the latter recurrently lacquers the base work which is formed by braiding the twisted paper strings like bamboo work. Many carvings were made by means of dry lacquer in the Heian Period (794-1185). Although these paper vessels are light and durable, the creation process requires large quantities of expensive lacquer and a long time to complete. As a result, they disappeared from the daily life with the advent of plastic products. This Koyori Series is produced by unique techniques using paper strings and Japanese lacquer, aiming at light and functional living utensils. These products’ essential linear design has, at the same time, engendered their mild swelling and curving originating from the nature of paper. They have unlimited uses, as well as dishes, so please employ them for multiple purposes. Although these items are water-resistant because of the lacquer, considering that the central body is paper, instead of washing them in water, please clean them with a well-wrung wet dishcloth. Use of dishwasher and dish drier should be avoided just as lacquer ware.