Welcome to Our Sashiko Archive

Our Sashiko Archive is a collection of stories, reflections, and educational resources about Sashiko, Boro, and the cultural context surrounding Japanese hand-stitching traditions. While Sashiko is now often associated with visible mending, geometric patterns, sustainability, or slow fashion, these ideas are only one part of a much larger story.

This archive preserves more than eight years of writing, sharing, teaching, and conversation based on both research and lived experience. As someone born into a Sashiko family in Takayama, Japan, I have spent much of my life surrounded by the people, values, and stories that shaped the practice long before it became widely known overseas.

This archive is also closely connected to my book, Sashiko: The Untold Story, which explores the history, philosophy, memories, and cultural misunderstandings around Sashiko in greater depth. I hope this site becomes a place to begin, continue, or deepen your understanding of Sashiko beyond simple definitions.

Start Here

What is Sashiko?
Discover the history, purpose, and cultural background of Sashiko beyond the common stereotypes of “visible mending” or “embracing imperfection.”

What is Sashiko?
Discover the history, purpose, and cultural background of Sashiko beyond the common stereotypes of “visible mending” or “embracing imperfection.”

What is Boro?
Explore the meaning of Boro, how it emerged through generations of use and repair, and why it is best understood as an outcome rather than a technique.

Learn Sashiko from Atsushi
Find information about workshops, online classes, lectures, and opportunities to study Sashiko directly from a Japanese artisan.

About Atsushi Futatsuya
Learn about the author of this archive, his family’s Sashiko heritage, and the ongoing work of sharing and preserving stories connected to Sashiko.

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10 days had passed since I decided to switch the platform, of sharing the Sashik

atsushijp,

10 days had passed since I decided to switch the platform, of sharing the Sashiko stories, to Patreon. It wasn’t an easy decision, but the filtering the comments with ignorance was necessary for me to keep sharing the Sashiko stories. In Patreon, I feel a good pressure to share more honest stories. As of today, about 8,000 words are shared there.
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People wonder why I have so many stories to share. It is because Sashiko exist(ed) in my ordinary days. By changing viewpoints, I can probably come up with millions of stories. Similar to Sashiko. The stitches looks so accurate and almost the same. However, by changing the angles, we can see the beauty in “one of a kind”. It is my journey to share the stories of “being okay with what we are” in this “quick and easy demanding” society. ☆
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「（英語で）刺し子について記した想いにお金を頂く」という、新たな試みを始めて10日。SNSでずっと頭を悩ませていた無礼で繰り返される同じ内容のコメント（英語）を、どうしたらフィルターにかけられるか……と考えた末の苦肉の策なのですが、やはりお金を頂くという事はそれだけ覚悟も決まるようで、この10日間、しっかりと頑張れたと思います。約8000単語。英語では頑張ったんじゃないかなと。
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「たかが刺し子に、よくそれだけの物語が書けるね」というのは、不思議に思われることだと思います。ただ、よく考えると、「当たり前の針仕事だった刺し子」は、つまりは日常生活だったわけで、日本での日常生活そのものが珍しい日本国外では、その全てが新しいことなのかもしれません。だから有料でも読みたいと言ってくれる人がいて、そして僕も常に溢れてくる思いを共有できています。当たり前だからこそ、見る角度を変えることで、どれだけでもお伝えできることがある。針目もそうです。同じに見えて、でも全て同じという針目は一つとして存在しません。「早く＆楽に」がイノベーションのコアにある現代、だからこそ刺し子から生まれる物語に興味を持って頂けるのかもしれません。日本語では、文章にするというよりは、配信で語り続けようと思います。いつか……一冊の本にまとめることを夢見て。
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2019-07-29 15:43:35




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@SashikoStory

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Comments (14)

  6. I love you wonderful story’s about sashiko so verry mutch.
    I have read every sentence that you have written about sashiko , with astonishment and admiration.
    For me it is a source of energie in a time that i needet the power to continue creating and living.
    Thank you🌈🌈🌈

    Reply

  9. A friend of mine led me to you. I didn’t know Shashiko but now I do thanks to you. I’m inspired and one day I’ll get the time and courage to try it! Thank you!

    Reply

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