The Rescue Stock Yard (RSY), our NPO based in Nagoya, has been supporting the management of Shichigahama Kizuna Kobo, i.e., the Cooperative Craft Studio.

Recently, we organized exhibit booths for Kizuna Kobo at some events in Nagoya, including Environment Day Nagoya on Sep15 (Sat), Disaster Prevention Fiesta 2012 at Nagoya TV Tower on Sep 28 (Fri) & 29 (Sat), and Kumaiden Disaster Prevention Academy in Nakagawa Ward, on Oct 14 (Sun), 2012.

Kizuna Kobo exhibit booth

The most popular product at these events was the Fukko[1]Sweets. Fukko Sweets were developed after the disaster through a special collaboration between Confectionary Firenze in Nagoya, Yamada-gumi Inc., Nack Planning Inc., the RSY, and Kizuna Kobo. The cloth bags and the draw-string pouches that came as a set with the sweets had embroideries of Mr. Frog, the image character of Kizuna Kobo. Mr. Frog was designed with the hope that smiles and a sense of fulfillment in life will “come back” (or kaeru, the Japanese verb for “to return” which is pronounced the same as the Japanese word for frog) to Shichigahama.

Netsuke straps made of shijimi clam shells and similar straps with an owl design, which were available for 500 yen, were also popular. Female customers said excitedly, “How do they make this?” “It’s beautiful!” “I want to make a craft like this at home, too.”

Netsuke straps made of shijimi clam shells

People who have ever visited Shichigahama tended to like the postcard frames and key chains made of wood, branded with the letters, “Shichigahama 2011. 3.11.” These wooden pieces came from the foundation of the houses which were seriously damaged by the tsunami. The male members of Kizuna Kobo cut out these wooden pieces and burned the letters onto them. Then the female members polished them, braided the strings, and put the parts together. These items carry their wishes, “Forget us not.” 

Wooden pieces with a special branding: “Shichigahama 2011.3.11

A customer said, “These items show how earnestly the members of Kizuna Kobo engage in their work,” looking at the products thoughtfully. “I could visualize them working. I’d like to offer what little support I can.” Children were saying innocently, “Mom, it’s cute! I want this!” I was impressed to see each of the customers respectively appreciate the thoughts of the members of Kizuna Kobo which were reflected in their crafts.

“Even though we live apart, we are connected, we can make people happy, and we are in their minds.”

This relationship, which is not merely a one-way traffic, is greatly encouraging the people in Shichigahama.

Handicrafts produced in Kizuna Kobo are “messengers” that connect the people in Shichigahama to those who would like to support them from distant places. We will continue to introduce these handicrafts to more and more people.

Originally reported in Japanese on 12, November, 2012