September 22, 2016

EDO MINGEI hemp dealer asao hemp thread

http://worldkigodatabase.blogspot.jp/2010/06/hemp-asa.html

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. Doing Business in Edo - 江戸の商売 .

asaodana asao-dana 麻苧店 store selling asao hemp thread
asatonya, asadonya 麻問屋 hemp dealer



source : ne.jp/asahi/kuyama/homepage
home of hemp dealer in Tochigi town

- quote -
asao 麻紵
Also written 麻緒, 麻苧, asahimo 麻紐, asa-ito 麻糸.
Cord or thread made from hemp, asa 麻, and Chinese silk plant, karamushi 苧むし.
In historical records, the expressions asao 麻緒, asahimo, and asa-ito tend to refer to threads made only from hemp, although sources generally were not specific about thread composition.
Asao was used in making clay statues *sozou 塑像. Clay modelling was done over a wooden core *shingi 心木, which could be a simple central pole or a complex structure. In the case of a composite wooden core, many small pieces of wood *hegi へぎ, were used to construct a frame, for example in the shape of the figure's robe. These pieces of wood often were bound together with asao. Other statues had a copper wire sandwiched between two thin pieces of cypress to make the inner core of the arms. Again asao was used to wrap the wood and bind it to the wire.
Another important function of asao was to wrap copper or steel wire, which formed the inner support, for detailed features like the sculpted fingers of the hand, earlobes, or upstanding spikes of flame hair *enpatsu 炎髪. Clay modelling then could proceed directly onto the asao layer.
- source : JAANUS -

The strong thread was also used for binding the hair and for amulets to ward off evil influence.


New Year Amulet made from asao

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