Information:
"Kikkou-mon
(turtle-shell pattern)" is an original chiyogami
design consisting of a geometric arrangement of hexagons,
patterned after a turtle shell, and combined with images of a crane,
which represents long life. There are red, blue, and green versions
available for download.
Chiyogami had its beginnings in Kyoto during the Edo period
(1603 - 1867). It began with flowers, birds, and other patterns
from nature, popular subjects in the Yuzen*
patterns, drawn onto Japanese paper. Such paper came to be printed
using the woodblock printing technology of Edo (present-day Tokyo),
and incorporated other patterns used in colored prints of the day.
The paper soon became popular throughout Japan.
*Yuzen: Japanese traditional dyeing technique that originated
in the 8th century created by painter Yuzen Miyazaki. |
