Unveiling the Art of Chirimen: A Journey into Japanese Handmade Charms
On December 19, 2025, Sekai Bunka Publishing (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) will release “Shiki no Nuno Asobi Kawaii Chirimen Komono” (Chirimen Crafts for All Seasons: Cute Chirimen Accessories), a captivating book by chirimen craft artist Yoko Takahashi. This publication invites readers to explore the enchanting world of chirimen, a traditional Japanese fabric art form steeped in wishes for warding off evil and inviting good fortune, passed down through generations of Japanese women.
Yoko Takahashi, a chirimen craft artist driven by a passion to share the beauty of Japanese handcrafts, has curated a collection of her most beloved works alongside new creations for this book. Each piece showcases traditional techniques transformed into irresistibly cute accessories, from brooches and hair ornaments to protective amulet bags.
“It’s truly heartwarming to see how these traditional crafts, once passed down through generations for protection and good fortune, are now being embraced and shared with a new audience, both in Japan and abroad,” a representative from Sekai Bunka Publishing commented.
Chapter 1: Auspicious Handmade Charms
This chapter delves into traditional charms designed to bring good luck and ward off misfortune. Readers will learn to create items like the “Hōko Ningyo” (crawling baby dolls), historically crafted as amulets for children’s protection, now reinterpreted as charming brooches or bag charms. Also featured are “Kukuri-Zaru” (tied monkeys), small fabric monkeys that embody the wish for troubles to “depart” (saru, a homophone for monkey) and for good relationships to be formed, as “en” (縁) can also mean connection.
Chapter 2: Seasonal Chirimen Delights
Embrace the changing seasons with a variety of chirimen projects inspired by nature’s bounty. This section presents delightful items such as pincushions shaped like strawberries, chestnuts, persimmons, and radishes, alongside chili pepper and eggplant root straps. In times when fabric was precious, remnants from kimono making or old garments were repurposed into practical yet decorative items like pincushions, adding color and charm to daily life – a testament to Japan’s enduring spirit of mottainai (waste not, want not).
Chapter 3: Japanese Living with Handmade Crafts – Twelve Zodiac Amulet Bags
This chapter introduces “se-mamori,” decorative stitches originally added to children’s kimonos without back seams, serving as talismans for protection against evil and misfortune. The book features carefully selected designs of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals, perfect for creating charming amulet bags. These handmade bags make thoughtful and meaningful gifts, carrying ancient blessings.
Easy Chirimen Crafts with Popular Video Guides
The book offers QR codes linking to instructional videos for popular projects, making it even easier for beginners to master the techniques. Yoko Takahashi’s journey into creating these videos began with a desire to share the traditional method of making “Kukuri-Zaru” on YouTube, expanding the accessibility of these cherished crafts.
About the Author: Yoko Takahashi
Yoko Takahashi is a chirimen craft artist who grew up in a kimono shop that has been in her family for nine generations in Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture, immersing herself in the world of Japanese tradition from a young age. Captivated by the art of fabric crafts, she began creating original pieces using traditional techniques in 1984. Her work has been showcased in numerous solo exhibitions at department stores and galleries nationwide, and she participated in the “Sewing – The Charm of its Form” exhibition at the Saitama City Urawa Art Museum in 2015. Takahashi is also the author of “Yoko Takahashi’s Wonderful Fabric Play” and “Handmade Amulet Bags and Happy Accessories,” and has made numerous appearances in magazines and on television.
Publication Details: “Shiki no Nuno Asobi Kawaii Chirimen Komono”
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Release Date: December 19, 2025 (Friday)
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Price: 1,760 yen (tax included)
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Author: Yoko Takahashi
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Specifications: B5変型判 / 96 pages
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Publisher: Sekai Bunka Publishing Inc.
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This book serves as a bridge between cherished Japanese traditions and contemporary crafting, offering a tangible way to connect with a rich cultural heritage. As interest in Japanese aesthetics and Kawaii culture continues to grow globally, “Shiki no Nuno Asobi Kawaii Chirimen Komono” is poised to inspire crafters worldwide, inviting them to create their own pieces of charming Japanese artistry.
