The Roots of Pattern

Polka dots, stripes, lattice ……, “Pattern” that we see everywhere in our daily lives have their own names, and behind them are hidden a variety of stories and messages.

The editor, Natsuko Nose’s text, rich in new insights born from her own experiences, and Hiromi Senkai’s vivid and modern drawings will introduce you to such the Roots of Pattern.

Many motifs can be divided into three categories: those expressing “happiness,” those symbolizing “seasons,” and those expressing “wishes. Some of the motifs that at first glance seem uniquely Japanese are in fact common throughout the world, some have their origins in faraway lands and times, and some have meanings that are interpreted in a uniquely Japanese way. They are repeatedly depicted on tea ceremony utensils and other works of art, as well as on everyday utensils, functioning as a kind of code, so to speak, to convey feelings that words cannot or will not convey.

Some of them may have hidden meanings and stories that we have been using without thinking about them. If both the sender and receiver can decipher the messages in the motifs without words, it will be a chic exchange. To understand yurai is also to decipher the message behind it.

Many things around us have names and meanings. By knowing their seasons, backgrounds, and meanings, you will be able to enjoy pattern more than ever before with your own interpretation.