The Strength of the Material: The Charm of Mizuhiki & Workshops Overseas

First, please tell us about Mizuhiki works.

Mizuhiki works were originally used as betrothal gifts, characterized by various types of knots such as shrimp, sea bream, eternal knot, wave of old age, plum knots, and pine knots.

However, all these knots share a common foundation. The basic knot is called the "Awaji knot." In a nutshell, once you master the Awaji knot, you can apply that technique to all other types of knots.

I’ve heard that Mizuhiki is made of paper, but it can achieve such a three-dimensional finish.

That’s the power of the material known as Mizuhiki. At first glance, Mizuhiki looks like a string, so it can be hard to imagine how it can become so three-dimensional. However, Mizuhiki is not merely a string; it has strength that allows for three-dimensional knotting.

The secret lies in the material of Mizuhiki, which is washi, a traditional Japanese paper. By twisting washi into cords and binding them with water glue, you create Mizuhiki. Nowadays, it is commonly completed by wrapping threads or films around it.

Personally, I feel that there is no other material with such remarkable strength. That’s why I want to convey the wonder of Mizuhiki itself, which motivates me to focus on the creation of forms. It’s honestly a lot of fun.

I have been developing kits that allow even those trying Mizuhiki for the first time to easily create beautiful knots and conducting workshops. Each Mizuhiki knot expands from the base of the Awaji knot, making it possible for newcomers to easily create impressive designs.

In September 2024, I held a workshop using these kits in Bulgaria. Bulgaria hosts a Japanese Culture Month every year, marking its 35th edition this year.

At the workshop, in addition to English instruction accompanying the kits, I proceeded with the help of an interpreter.

The enthusiasm of the local participants was incredible (laughs). They were progressing with their work without waiting for my explanations. Nonetheless, beautiful knots were being completed.

It’s wonderful to see participants in Bulgaria creating beautiful knots from just the English instruction. This combination of "ease" and "beauty" is the great charm of Mizuhiki, in my opinion.

Currently, besides workshops, I’m also involved in creating interiors for various facilities such as hotels and restaurants.

Freedom to Do What You Like: The Challenge of Mizuhiki Crafts (Masks) as Liberation from Industry Norms

I would like to ask about your mask work, Aritaka.

I started making masks about 30 years ago when I met the late contemporary artist, Shozo Shimamoto. During a lecture in Ehime, he visited us because he wanted to explore Mizuhiki from an artistic perspective.

Through this visit, it seemed that he found the charm of traditional crafts, and as he was leaving, he asked, “Aritaka, could you create something based on my ideas?” I replied, “If you can give me some time,” and accepted the offer. He mentioned he would send the materials later.

I thought I would receive an incredible sketch, but what actually arrived was just a mold of his head and a note that said, “Please play around using Mizuhiki.”

It was an unexpected request, but it made me feel very excited, and I responded, “I’m not sure if I can do it, but I will give it a try.”

When he saw the finished piece I created, he said, “Your work has a gentleness to it,” and he didn’t give me any specific instructions.

As I created this piece, I realized that “I can do anything with Mizuhiki.” However, since masks are not products, I worked on it at night.

This mask later won awards at international art exhibitions and was used in fashion shows. Additionally, it was utilized in Shimamoto's performances abroad.

You mentioned you were excited when Shimamoto offered you this opportunity. What caused that excitement?

I believe it was because I had a strong desire to pass on the craft of Mizuhiki to the next generation.

Originally, Mizuhiki crafts were mostly decorative items used in marriage proposals, but nowadays, such occasions are decreasing. Therefore, not just for us, but the entire industry is in a situation where we need to think about “what we should do next.”

However, the Mizuhiki industry tends to find it difficult to embrace new ideas. When I married into this family, my husband told me, “To 'master' means to keep creating the same thing every day.”

At that time, there were many craftsmen, and each craftsman focused on creating just one item; for example, those who tied cranes continued to make cranes, while those who tied turtles kept making turtles.

Their craftsmanship was incredibly smooth and efficient, even possessing a certain beauty. It perfectly aligned with the term “mastery.”

On the other hand, there was an environment where they wouldn’t look beyond “their own way of tying” or think about it. Even though I felt we needed to do something new, there was an atmosphere that didn't permit that.

At such a time, Shimamoto reached out to me, allowing me to completely change my mindset. I still remember the joy I felt for the first time when I created a piece, realizing, “I can do this freely.”

However, I believe that my ability to make masks is thanks to Aritaka Senzando having consistently dedicated itself to creating marriage proposal items since its founding in 1930.

Being able to think, “If I want to shape the image of flames, this tying method would be good,” or “If I want to respond to the request, perhaps this tying method would work?” is only possible because the craftsmen have polished their skills with the aim of pleasing customers.

Strengthening Ourselves to Pass Mizuhiki onto the Next Generation

Lastly, please tell us about your future plans.

From now on, I want to strengthen our “selling power.” I hesitate to say this myself, but we possess high technical skills.

On the other hand, we face challenges in our “selling power,” such as our ability to communicate and develop products, which is still weak. Ehime has a strong culture of modesty, and the Mizuhiki industry has traditionally relied on wholesalers to supply products.

However, times have changed dramatically. That's why we also need to switch our mindset. Currently, I can continue my activities as an artist, but it's a difficult situation in terms of sustaining it as an industry. Figuring out how to industrialize this is a challenge I see ahead.

I applied for the 21st Century Ehime Traditional Craft Award in 2024 with such aspirations, hoping that this initiative could lead to a new start for Mizuhiki.

Furthermore, I want to strengthen our communication capabilities regarding Mizuhiki. This is something I wish to pursue not just alone, but as a community. The history of Mizuhiki culture in Iyo is very old, and even Akiko Yosano is said to have written about it in her poems.

To pass this culture on to the next generation, we would like to continue challenging ourselves. This is my vision for the future.