I just received E-mail inviting me to participate in sewing ZOUKIN. What is ZOUKIN in Japanese ? Dust Cloth or House Cloth ? When I was in primary school, I learned how to sew ragged towel into ZOUKIN, but afterwrds I had no chance to sew at my home. What purpose do I need to make ZOUKIN for now ?
It may be very sad that we may have bad image on Zoukin , in another word, like my own old ragged Life, or we, people are wasted like Zoukin when we are of no use at al. Particularly old and aged people are regarded as Zoukin in Japan. Brand-new White colored Towel turns to be faded out and ragged as it is used everyday, and getting rough and hard, and then finally destined to be , all of a sudden, threwn into Dust Box. In that sense, Zoukin may be , in some sense, REBORN, or Recycled. If we think so, we may feel it very interesting. Japnese people may think in this way, which we may feel very sothing different.
At Toilet in Golf course, there hand-Towel or Zoukin, is prepared , What is used for ? Good Golfer may use it in wiping water scattered on sink, so that next User can feel more ocomfortable and clean as Good manner or with O-Mo-i-Ya-Ri, kind courtesy for the Next User. Japnese people may ,with no consciousness, feel such courtesy even in sewing ragged cloth of no use for REBORN into Zoukin. There may be lying some Philosophical something even in sewing Zoukin, I feel personally interesting. If you are coming to Komoro as Overseas travellers, , why don't you try to make Zouking, NOT Patch work for ornamentation, but for your own REBORN for your own LIFE.
Hoping you have a good Trip and stay in Japan.