6. Origin and History
● Started in Nara Period, to keep Emperor’s
valuables
● First known as hirazutsumi (平包), ‘flat
folded bundles’
● In Edo Period, to bundle clothes at public
furo (お風呂)
● Eventually, used by merchants to carry
goods
● Not unique to Japan (Cf. bojagi)
7. Modern Use
● made of silk, cotton, chirimen, rayon, nylon
● common sizes are 45 cm and 68-72 cm
● used to wrap bento or as table mat
8. Modern Use
● 6 March 2006, Minister Yuriko Koike
introduced ‘mottainai furoshiki’
● made of fiber from recycled
PET bottles
● motif from Itoh Jukuchu
paintings