A Beautifully Patched Sakabukuro: Eccentric Stitching

mid twentieth century
25 1/2" x 8 1/2", 64.5 cm x 21.5 cm

Sakabukuro, or sake straining bags, are usually made of cotton which has been 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 mending. and we see the wonderfully odd stitches applied for this purpose.  

This wonderful bag is made of a stiff, canvas-weight cotton whose brown color is from the application of green persimmon tannin or kaki shibu as it is called.  The mending stitches are wonderfully artful and number five in total, each of which is stitched to the base with an eccentric stitch, a desirable attribute in such sake filters.  

A wonderful example of a sakabukuro.

Recommended.