Sudars

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Sudare at a store in Hyogo Prefecture
Image from the Genji monogatari , rolled up sudars can be seen along the roof edge of the building.

Sudare ( Japanese 簾 , also called Misu ) are traditional Japanese blinds .

They can either be rolled up or folded up.

use

Sudars are used in many traditional Japanese homes to protect the porch and other openings in the building from sunlight, rain, and insects. They are usually removed in the fall and reattached in the spring. Their light construction lets a pleasant breeze through in the warm Japanese summer.

Manufacturing

Sudars are made from strips of decorative wood, bamboo or other natural materials that are woven together with simple cord, dyed yarn or other materials as a chain, so that an almost closed surface is created. Because of the material that is widely available, sudars can be manufactured inexpensively.

High quality sudare for palaces and villas use high quality bamboo and are decorated with expensive silk and gold embroidery . Sometimes they are painted, mostly on the inside. Some Chinese specimens are also painted on the outside.

With the modern age, the production of the sudare declined . Today it is a traditional handicraft that is still practiced by various companies for the domestic market and export. Modern sudars mostly come from China.

Historical function

The poet Sei Shōnagon behind a Misu

Sudars not only protect against the elements, but also provide privacy.

You play a role in the epic Genji monogatari . In the Heian period it was common for a lady-in-waiting to hide behind such an umbrella when speaking to a man outside of her immediate family. She could look through and see the person opposite. However, the man had to keep a distance and could not see them. Only with her permission could he come closer, and only she would ever roll up the sudare. Undesirable actions on the part of the man were viewed as a serious breach of etiquette and a threat to the chastity and purity of the lady.

Sudars were also used in imperial residences. Since it was forbidden to look directly at the Tennō , he sat in the throne room behind a screen so that only his shoes could be seen. This practice fell into disuse with the decline of imperial power.

Sudare Museum

A museum in Amano-cho , Kawachinagano , Osaka deals with the history of the Sudars . Tools and machines for their production as well as specimens from other countries are on display.

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