A Hemp Stitched Sakabukuro: Boro Sake Filter

ca. early twentieth century
26 3/4"  9 1/2", 68 cm x 24 cm

Sakabukuro, or sake straining bags, are very collectible boro textiles. Made of cotton saturated with green persimmon tannin, or kaki shibu, which gives the distinctive brown color, this utilitarian textile was used in sake making.

Crude sake, or sake lees, was placed in this bag and pressure was applied to squeeze out and filter the liquid. Repeated use required repeated mendings and we see the wonderfully odd stitches applied for this purpose. 

This wonderful bag shows a mending stitches which are usually sewn using cotton thread.  This particular sakabukuro is quite unusual in that the mending thread is of hemp: fantastic!

A really wonderful sakabukuro.