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.