Japanese Chiyogami Paper- Pink Cherry Blossom Branches on Yellow 18"x24" Sheet Japanese Chiyogami Paper- Pink Cherry Blossom Branches on Yellow 18"x24" Sheet

Thesewonderfully decorative patterns on paper, known as Chiyogami, aresilkscreened onto machine made sheets of mixed kozo and sulphite.  Theyare more popularly known as Yuzen in the United States.Originally,Chiyogami designs were developed in the Edo period as woodblock printsby papermakers during the farming season for use as accessories in thehouse to enliven the interiors. They were based on the bright kimonotextiles which the papermakers from the countryside saw on thefashionable wealthier ladies in the larger cities, especially in Kyoto,where the area known as Yuzen had become famous for its sophisticatedtechniques for dyeing cloth. Chiyogamiwas meant to be cut into pieces and made into paper dolls or pasted ontea tins or small paper boxes; still today the scale of the patterns isreminiscent of these early uses.  And still many of the symbols depictedhearken back to auspicious occasions when fancy kimonos would be worn:cranes for long life; bamboo for flexibility; plum blossoms and pineboughs for beauty and longevity.