A Ragged Sakabukuro: Cotton Sake Filter

ca. mid twentieth century
31" x 11 3/4", 78.75 cm x 30 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 is made of a commercially woven cotton which has been lightly dipped in green persimmon tannin or kaki shibu.  As seen here, the bag is turned inside-out, so the seams are ragged, shaggy and unfinished.  The mending stitches are intermittent and there are snags and repairs to the surface.  The top seam is machine stitched.