I never cease to be amazed at the meticulous level of workmanship and attention to detail of the Japanese. The beauty of the result seemingly always worth going beyond that extra mile. Here its the production of the Hikihaku obi kimono sash. Yes, they make it out of gold or silver threads, which are gold or silver leaf stuck onto thin washi kozo tissue, then cut into ultra thin strips which are then woven into the fabric of the obi. That they also make Hikihaku out of Mother of Pearl and incorporate the beautiful blue of Lapis Lazuli, is when my jaw drops. It is such as shame that this beautiful weaving skill is now almost inevitably bound to vanish as all the remaining Hikihaku makers are in their seventies, and there are now no longer people who even know how to repair their weaving machines. Soetsu Yanagi will be turning in his grave.
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