If you have already mastered the art of paper folding or origami, you can now move on to a more complicated crafting style - tsumami zaiku. Tsumami zaiku is the art of cloth folding developed during the Edo period. The craft was used to enhance the beauty of a kimono by adding flower shaped hair ornaments.
Much like origami, tsumami zaiku is made out of square shaped cloths. The cloth used is much smaller than the normal paper size. The art requires a tweezer, a good set of eyes, and a lot of patience. Folding the small cloth can be much harder than expected due to its size. The cloth is not only folded but also pinched and glued to one another in order to form shapes such as flowers, birds, and other things that nature has to offer.
Before, it was only used as a hair ornament but nowadays, more people are already developing their tsumami zaiku and turning it to necklaces, phone straps, bracelets, and even home decorations.
Tsumami zaiku is a hit craft for middle aged women and housewives. More than their hobby and pastime, some of them also sell their works to their friends.
If ever you drop by a souvenir shop, ask if there are some tsumami zaiku available and be sure to buy them!
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