Oritoori - Ishigaki City Official Tourism Information Website
In the Yaeyama Islands, there is a history of handcrafting tools used in daily life by utilizing plants that grow naturally on the islands. These tools are called "folk implements," and their production process embodies the wisdom of our ancestors' way of life and traditional craftsmanship.
In modern times, these products are gaining attention as environmentally friendly items that return to nature, and the activities of young folk craftspeople are gradually increasing.
The people we visited this time were Mr. and Mrs. Nakagiri of "Mingu Nakagiri," who have their studio in the northern part of Ishigaki Island.
The Nakagiri couple were captivated by folk crafts and moved to Ishigaki Island with their family. They now create folk crafts while learning production techniques from the islanders.
Miyuki Nakagiri first encountered folk craft making about eight years ago, when she was pregnant with her eldest daughter. She learned how to make it from the islanders and created a basket made from ginger lily to lay her baby down.
Junichi says he was drawn to the stories behind the folk tools told by the islanders, and the old tales about tools he heard from the elderly neighbors. He feels a sense of the previous generation's skills and the pride of the craftsmen who have carried on that tradition.
"Folk tools are woven from grass, so they naturally decompose over time. That's why older items don't last. If the people who make them disappear, the tools and techniques will vanish as well. We truly understand the importance of inheriting and continuing these traditional techniques," say the Nakagiri couple.
Alpinia zerumbet
The leaves of the ginger family plant, Getto (Alpinia zerumbet), are used to make health tea, as well as in insect repellents and deodorizers due to their insect-repellent and antibacterial properties. Their refreshing scent is also used in air fresheners with calming effects.
Adan
The Pandanus tree, belonging to the Pandanaceae family, grows near the coast in subtropical to tropical regions and forms very dense colonies. As a result, it is used as a windbreak, tidal barrier, and sand dune barrier, and is also cultivated in gardens for ornamental purposes.
Kuba
The palm tree (Livistona chinensis), a member of the palm family, has a northern limit of distribution in Kyushu and extends to Taiwan and southern China, with its most abundant natural habitat being the Ryukyu Islands. Its leaves are sometimes used as building material for roofs and walls. They are also used in various other items such as ladles, well buckets, and straw raincoats and hats.
The works created by "Mingu Nakagiri" combine traditional folk tools with a touch of modern usability that suits contemporary life. Rather than designs that overwrite the techniques inherited from our ancestors, they preserve the good qualities of traditional folk tools while creating pieces that can be used seamlessly in modern living.
"I would like to research and produce traditional Yaeyama folk crafts, and at the same time, propose new folk crafts that are in line with modern life and that add color to one's lifestyle. I also want to continue helping to pass on the culture of grass weaving to future generations."
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Junichi Nakagiri
Miyuki Nakagiri
My family and I moved to Ishigaki Island, and we use the abundant materials from the northern part of the island to make traditional crafts as a couple.
We offer traditional Yaeyama folk tools as well as easy-to-use folk tools that are suited to modern life.
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