Japan Foundation holds Furoshiki exhibition

An exhibition of Furoshiki, Japanese wrapping cloths, was held in Hanoi by the Japan Foundation Centre for Culture Exchange in Vietnam on March 3.
The exhibition displayed different types of furoshiki, most of them from Japan, as well as others from Vietnam which won awards in the 2nd international furoshiki contest in Japan.
FiveVietnamese students won prizes in the competition including one grand prize, one hounorable mention and two consolation prizes.
Grand prize winners will be commercially produced and promoted through the Japan Foundation’s activities worldwide.
Two Japanese instructors, Hiroko Handa and Yoko Yamamoto, also held a brief public class to help people understand more about the art of furoshiki.
The furoshiki contest is an annual event held by the Japan Foundation to promote cultural exchange between it and other nations and to introduce this traditional craft that can be used today to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags and packaging, thereby protecting the environment.
Furoshiki is a square piece of cloth used for various purposes such as wrapping and carrying items of different shapes. Dyed in various colors and patterns, today it is also used for wrapping gifts, as well as for table coverings and interior decoration. Furoshiki goes back to the Edo Period (1603-1868), when public bathhouses became widely accessible. The tradition was then handed down through the generations as an essential part of the Japanese lifestyle.