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Trace the historical development of decorative silk braiding in Japan, while exploring exquisite examples of early kumihimo textiles with an online talk by Mita Kakuyuki, curator at the Nara National Museum.
The techniques that are the direct precursors of modern kumihimo find their principal origins outside Japan, in the cultural exchange enabled by the trade routes known as the Silk Roads. The centrally located imperial capital of Nara, in particular, emerged as a centre for cultural and artistic exchange, and silk braiding techniques brought there from Korea and China from the 5th and 6th centuries CE became the foundation for a continuing and flourishing tradition in Japan.
During the event, Mita Kakuyuki discusses these historical roots of kumihimo while introducing a number of early kumihimo examples, modelled on continental Asian cords, which can be found in the collections of the temple Hōryū-ji and the Shōsōin Imperial Repository, both located in Nara. These articles provide an insight into the development of kumihimo techniques and uses in Japan and show how kumihimo has influenced aesthetics in subsequent periods of Japanese history.
There is an opportunity for guests to ask questions to the speaker during this live online event.