Most of the Sashiko artisans in Otsuchi didn’t practice Sashiko before 2011. Now

Most of the Sashiko artisans in Otsuchi didn’t practice Sashiko before 2011. Now, their Sashiko became as “traditional” as the one we can see in books. I was there to share Sashiko when they just started Sashiko. The Jacket like this means a lot to me.

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In their report, the manager used a Japanese word “守破離 (Shuhari)”. It is a well-known word for Japanese martial art. At the same time, this concept can be applied into other practices as a way to go through mastery. When I say, “Please learn Japanese Sashiko”, some people twist my words and counter-attack saying, “Do not spoil our creativity”. I am NOT denying any creativity. However, without a “will” to learn the tradition, the creativity is just based on “whatever” – which can equal ignorance. “Whatever” is not a word for freedom. It is the sign of “not-knowing”, when a person is from a foreign culture. 

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I feel the fear of “Sashiko (culture) being repainted” with whatever is convenient to non-Japanese people. The result would be limiting (or worse, destroying) the future of “current Sashiko artisans” in Japan. Please be mindful of what you do now. I am not asking you to spend years in learning the basic/tradition. I am just asking you to be mindful so that you can choose what/who you are directly & indirectly supporting. If you would like to use the word “Sashiko”, I want you to support Sashiko.

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大槌刺し子の報告会で、「守破離」という言葉がありました。実は「守破離」は僕が米国移住する前に多用していた言葉だったりします。「型」を徹底的に守り、その過程で型を破り、そして新たな流派として離れる。とても日本らしいなぁと大好きな言葉です。「自分のやってる刺し子が全て」だった昔は、この守破離を公言してましたが、その後学ぶ中で、刺し子には「型」が沢山あることに気が付きます。だから今はそれほど使わない言葉になったのですが、でも、”基本”が大切であることは変わりません。刺し子の基本には10年も20年もいらないです。早い人だと数時間で飲み込んじゃいます。そんな「型」の一つを、今後もお伝えして行けたら良いなと思うのです（*運針会で刺し子の「型」の一つをお教えしています。詳細はリンクから）。

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2021-03-12 08:46:58

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