Osaka Kongo Sudare are bamboo blinds (sudare) made from madake bamboo in Tondabayashi City, Kawachinagano City and Osaka City. The area was once blessed with fine bamboo growing at the foot of Mount Kongo and Mount Katsuragi, and blinds came to be woven alongside the making of bamboo baskets. The misu (court blind), used for partitions and decoration in the Heian-period imperial court, is said to be the prototype of today's zashiki sudare (indoor blind). The main products are misu used at shrines and temples and zashiki sudare used as room partitions and sunshades in homes. Highlights include a weaving method that uses the natural nodes of the bamboo strips (higo) to draw a 'ku'-shaped (く) pattern, and borders of Nishijin donsu (a glossy figured silk fabric). In 1985 (Showa 60), it was designated an Osaka Prefecture-designated Traditional Craft under the name 'Kongo Sudare.' In 1996 (Heisei 8), it became a Traditional Craft Designated by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry under the name 'Osaka Kongo Sudare.' According to a survey report by Osaka Prefecture, all the misu used in filming the NHK Taiga dramas 'Atsuhime' (篤姫) and 'Go' (江) were Osaka Kongo Sudare.
Origin
Blinds have ancient origins and are said to date back to the Asuka and Nara periods. In the Heian period, misu were used for partitions and decoration at the imperial court and elsewhere. Osaka Prefecture regards the transmission of bamboo craft techniques to Tondabayashi in the Meireki era (1655-1658) of the early Edo period as the origin of the production area. Another theory holds that bamboo craft was introduced around 1700 by a samurai who came to 新堂村 (present-day 若松町, Tondabayashi City). Using madake bamboo that grew thickly at the foot of Mount Kongo and along the banks of the Ishikawa River, people came to make blinds alongside bamboo baskets.
History
杉多製簾 in Tondabayashi City states that it began making blinds as a dedicated business in Tenpo 10 (1839). When production tools were improved in the Meiji era, blind making became even more active and a production area took shape. The blind industry is said to have reached its peak around 1960. A survey report by Osaka Prefecture considers that, while there were also blind makers in Kyoto, Nagoya and Tokyo, the fact that only Osaka handled the entire process in-house led to national designation. As housing development spread, locally grown bamboo stopped being used, and it has been replaced by madake bamboo from Tanba and elsewhere.
Features
The material is madake bamboo felled between October and the following February, when the bamboo contains the least moisture. Only the outer skin side of the bamboo is made into thin strips (higo), which are woven one by one on a weaving machine so that the natural nodes draw a 'ku'-shaped (く) pattern. The weaving thread is specified as silk or cotton thread. For misu intended for shrines and temples, the strips are sometimes dyed yellow. A fabric border is sewn onto the woven blind, which is then finished with decorative metal fittings and tassels. Sizes are matched to tatami dimensions, and the standards differ between Kansai-ma and Edo-ma (the Kansai and Edo tatami sizes).
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Felling and cutting
Madake bamboo is felled in Tanba in Kyoto, and in the Chugoku region, including Okayama and Shimane, between October and the following February, when the moisture content is lowest. After drying, it is cut to the length of blind required for its use.
- 2
Peeling and splitting
The nodes are shaved off with a bow-shaped curved knife, and the outer skin is peeled off with a peeling knife. Using a bamboo-splitting knife, the round bamboo is roughly split into widths of 8 bu (about 2.4 cm), then divided into four and separated into the outer skin and the inner flesh.
- 3
Making strips and polishing
Outer skin 4 bu (about 1.2 cm) wide is sorted for each blind and made into thin strips (higo) with a cutting machine. Strips for shrines and temples are dyed yellow and run through a polishing machine to bring out their luster.
- 4
Weaving
The strips are fed into a weaving machine and woven in one by one. They are arranged so that the natural nodes of the bamboo line up, and woven while drawing a 'ku'-shaped (く) pattern.
- 5
Cutting the brocade and attaching borders
The bolt of Nishijin donsu used for the borders is cut with hand shears without even 1 bu (about 3 mm) of error. Dento Kogei Aoyama Square describes this as the most difficult step. Borders are sewn onto the edges and center of the woven blind, and metal fittings and tassels are attached to complete it.
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Artisans & Workshops
杉多製簾株式会社
A blind maker in Tondabayashi City. It states that it made bamboo blinds and bamboo crafts alongside farming from around 1700 and became a dedicated blind maker in Tenpo 10 (1839). In addition to zashiki sudare, omisu (御翠簾) and sunshade blinds, it also makes interior blinds suited to modern homes.
井上スダレ株式会社
A blind maker headquartered in 天野町, Kawachinagano City. Centered on the manufacture and sale of bamboo and wooden blinds and bamboo products, it also manufactures resin joint parts by applying its blind-coating technology. The 'Sudare Museum' (すだれ資料館) is located at the same address.
Official site →How to Buy
- 井上スダレ Official Website
- The website carries a product catalog, including Osaka Kongo Sudare, zashiki sudare and interior blinds designed for modern homes, along with information on how to purchase. The head office is at 1014-1 天野町, Kawachinagano City (phone 0721-53-2581).Where to buy →PR
- 大阪簾工業協同組合 (Osaka Blind Industry Cooperative)
- The production-area cooperative for Osaka Kongo Sudare, listed by Osaka Prefecture as the point of contact. It is located at 2-4-25 若松町, Tondabayashi City (phone/fax 0721-26-1190). It serves as a point of contact for learning about products and manufacturers.
Hands-on Experiences
すだれ資料館
大阪府河内長野市天野町1014-1
In addition to blinds made by traditional methods, the museum collects and exhibits historical materials and works of blinds handed down in China and Korea, which share the same bamboo culture. Admission is free, and visits are by reservation only. It is open on weekdays from 10:00 to 16:00 (last entry 15:30). Production demonstrations are held at the 'Sudare Fair,' which takes place several times a year.
FAQ
Q. What is the difference between misu and zashiki sudare?
A. Misu are blinds that were used for partitions and decoration at the imperial court in the Heian period, and they are still used at shrines and temples today. Zashiki sudare are indoor blinds descended from them, used as room partitions and sunshades in homes. For misu intended for shrines and temples, the bamboo strips are sometimes dyed yellow.
Q. Do blind sizes differ between Kansai and Kanto?
A. According to a survey report by Osaka Prefecture, there are standards matched to differences in tatami dimensions, such as 191 x 95 cm for Kansai-ma and 176 x 88 cm for Edo-ma. However, sizes have recently become varied even in Kansai, and smaller standards such as 161 x 80 cm are said to be mixed in as well.