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As I often share, Teaching comes with great responsibility. No need for this pressure of responsibility when we just enjoy it. I don’t want you to worry about it too much when you enjoy Sashiko. However, please be noted that there is equally important responsibility like “Teaching” for everyone, you and me. We carry this responsibility regardless of our actions & intentions. It is a action of “recommendation”.
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Many ask me for (quick) recommendations for Sashiko. Unless they ask me in Japanese, my answer is “I don’t have any recommendations (so I speak up)”. I wrote that “Teaching” without a sense of responsibility can destroy the culture. Here, “Recommendation to resources that do not carry the sense of responsibility” is equally violent as actual teaching itself: A series of recommendations make a trend, and the “teachers” get more opportunities, and then they will corner themselves to be stubborn, to the point they cannot admit they aren’t learning enough. A good teacher will never say that they know “everything” about it. They know what they can & cannot teach. Using a “strong word” such as “Supreme”, “Ultimate”, “The Only”, “Comprehensive”, and “Authentic” is a great marketing strategy – but we have to know that there isn’t such a thing in culture.
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All action comes with consequences. As Spider-man says, “With great power comes great responsibility”. In this society, we are all “Spider-man” in something, especially when we can use “English”. Your words, recommendations, and choices are very powerful, and therefore it comes with great responsibility to preserve the culture of Sashiko & people behind. I really appreciate you following this account & reading. You are helping us greatly. Please be mindful of what you are recommending when you do so.
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私が今英語ができるのは偶然の賜物です。努力も勿論ありますが、何より運が良かった。と同時に、「英語の力（暴力）」もひしひしと感じています。世界基準で見た時には必ず英語が必要になります。それは日本文化を紹介する時でも、です。どれだけ日本文化に精通していても英語ができないと伝わりません。逆に言えば、英語ができれば誰でも専門家になれてしまう。今の刺し子も似たような現象が起こっています。私が敬う刺し子の諸先輩方は英語は話されません。でも存在しているし、彼ら彼女らがいなかったら今の刺し子はありません。たった言語で価値が決まるのは嫌なんです。これからもだからこそ「英語で」伝え続けます。
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I want you to know. I want the world to know. There are quite many Sashiko “Masters” who aren’t known for it. They are all Japanese. They only speak in Japanese (as they live in Japan). With many reasons, many are willing to be anonymous. They are not recognized by “society”, and their Sashiko may be lost. Then, what is this “Society”?
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We have to admit that the ticket to be part of this society is English as a language. When one doesn’t speak English, their message may be twisted, interpreted, and worse “not chosen” (lost). Then, again, who chose it? It is us who have the privilege to speak English. Some are born with this privilege. Some work hard to get the privilege. The privilege itself isn’t a matter of good or bad: it is about how we use it.
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One of my goals on the coming Japan Tour is to greet some “Sashiko People” in Japan. Some of them do not consider themselves as masters like I don’t, I call them “Sashiko People”. Although they are not known for it, they are truly a part of Japanese Sashiko. I do not want their voice to be lost, or interpreted by a “translator” who doesn’t know either (or both) Japanese language and/or Sashiko Culture itself.
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Just out of my curiosity, though. Let’s say Sashiko is recognized as a Japanese practice. Then, how can one really be considered as a “master” in Sashiko without the commitment to learn the language…? No need for language for having fun, but they are teaching with fees. Can I be a master of folk art in America without speaking English, without communicating in the language they speak? Absolutely not. This is why I keep asking to be mindful of who you are learning from. Teaching/Publishing comes with a great responsibility to either preserve or destroy the culture. Teaching isn’t the same as hobby, research, journalism, filming, or story-telling. “Teaching” has to be very careful.
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来月の今は日本にいるのかと思うと脈拍が乱れます。日本帰国がこんなに怖いなんて。日本大好きなんですけどね、10年の月日は長すぎた。今回の帰国目的は「友達との約束を果たすため」です。同時に、「刺し子の先生方にご挨拶する」という大切な目的もあります。本来の刺し子の性質なのか、刺し子をされる方には、あまり目立たないことを好まれる方が多い印象です。それに加えて昔は私の肩書きも威圧的だったのもあって、なかなか気楽に「ご挨拶を」とは行かず。今はなーんにも背負っていないので、沢山の機会を頂けそうです。有難い限りです。可能な限り、ここでもご紹介できたらなと思っています。
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#Sashiko #刺し子 #JapaneseSashiko

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As I share a lot, I receive many responses thanking me. It is my pleasure to do so, and I appreciate you being here to share what I share to somewhat preserve the Sashiko we practice. When I say I am “sharing everything” with our Sashiko to preserve it, I receive many supportive comments like “I agree with you”. Well, let’s step back. I do not want you to agree so easily as this is an extreme choice I had to make. This is very important, and I need to clarify.
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There are many artisans & professional craftsmen (for Japanese, we have a name for them “Shokunin”). They tend to be hesitant to “share” – as they aren’t good at communicating, expressing, and putting their thoughts into words. I decided to share the Sashiko we practice because I couldn’t stand the emptiness of the Sashiko introduced in English. However, I would never think that “being shared on the Internet” is better than “being lost”. It is their choice. It is my Choice. When I see an artisan who decides to NOT to share, I completely understand. It is extremely painful. It wasn’t an easy decision. It is still not an easy decision.
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I understand the feeling of artisans who do not speak up. Some are satisfied with what they do. The other may have just given up in this society. I was one of those. In this society, it is NOT the artisans’ solo-responsibility to pass down the practice. It is OUR responsibility to “receive” it, and moreover convince them to hand it over by showing respect & more importantly “seriousness”. It is “us” who need to be wise, not the artisans. How do we become wise? It is easy – just know who you are learning from. Culture is like a thread connecting all the dots, and it takes time to learn it.
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昨日の投稿の続きです。「守る為に共有する」というのは私の選択であって、他の職人さん達に求められるものではありません。「共有する」というのは、とても怖くて不安なことです。痛みも伴います。全ての可能性を考慮して、人間を信じる「覚悟」があって、ようやく一歩が踏み出せます。後継者がいないまま失われていく技術は、決して職人だけの責任ではありません。全てを曝け出す（受け渡す）職人の覚悟と対等に渡り合えるだけの覚悟を持つ人がどれだけいるか…というお話。趣味や少しの副業程度なら覚悟はいりません。でも「先生」として教えるのであれば、ある程度の覚悟は欲しいと思うのです。技術じゃありません（もちろん技術もだけど）。覚悟なんです。残念ながら、今の英語圏の刺し子には、「それ」を見つけ出せていません。だからこそ思いを発信しているのです。
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My family, who revived Sashiko & tried to protect it, prohibited “Sharing” the Sashiko they practiced among us. No photos were allowed in the store. Workshops were merely for entertainment – not for learning the important essence. It was how they (& many others) tried to preserve/protect their tradition. Keeping “it” secret was once a way to protect it.
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The Internet changed it. One photo, one video, one technique can be copied and spread to the entire world as if it is the answer. There is no way to keep anything in a secret box any longer. Well, it is actually a happy case if the copy was done properly & carefully. In a trend (where speed & short are important), anyone can be a teacher (master) of anything at any point. The Internet mixed both stones and gems. It is our own responsibility to find (define) what is valuable among many types of “answers” as instant gratifications.
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It is impossible to keep it secret. Therefore, I decided to share everything. I mean, “EVERYTHING” so that the culture (People & Stories) won’t be lost. I offer Workshops & Classes with fees to make the culture more sustainable, but it isn’t the requirement to enjoy Sashiko. I want everyone to enjoy Sashiko – and I even “encourage” them to copy & share, with one sincere favor & demand: to articurate where “it” comes from. In 2023, my focus is to speak about the importance of this “Upstream” of the culture (please find an analogy with “River”). I really appreciate those who list this account when they share their own fantastic Sashiko works (They are “beyond” my teaching and all achievements are theirs… I just appreciate them/you for mentioning us).
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There is a reason I call what I do as “Teaching”. It isn’t like a workshop “Let’s enjoy Sashiko Together”. Teaching is comprehensive, logical, and therefore meaningful in both technique & understanding (Connecting). That’s what “learning” is, right?
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「守る為に隠す」時代は既に終わり、「（全て）公開する」というのが唯一の「守る」方法なのかもしれません。共有すること守るという個人を超えた所での価値観は、戸惑いもありますが慣れてしまうと案外気楽なものです。ここで見聞きすることは全て真似てもらってOKです。それが守る手段なのだから。唯一のお願いは真似た先を明確にしてもらうこと。誰に習い、誰に伝えるかというのが肝心なのだろうと思います。
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What is “Sashiko” for you? Why do you do Sashiko? In a trend, in a society with Abundant Quantities, Sashiko has become a “Choice”. It is true that we no longer stitch for survival. We have a choice to turn on a space heater when it is cold. However, it is also true that there are people & stories that they hugely & deeply depended on Sashiko to “live”. I am one of those, and the book introduced in the previous post is about them.
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You have read & heard about this everywhere… books, lectures, TVs, or even a conversation with friends. [There is no “failure” when we “continue”]. This true statement is teaching us the importance of continuing things – keep “doing” things. An individual who continues will reach their success sooner or later – and it is often credited to them as their individual effort. Here, I would like to mention another part of unsung heroes – those who try to keep (protect/preserve) the stages one can continue “doing”.
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I know I will continue doing Sashiko until the day of my life. I have hated Sashiko enough to accept my fate. Therefore, a bit more ambitious, I would like to continue offering a “place” to be together, while learning what Sashiko is. Some can continue doing one thing without any “places” – but it is much easier to do so when we have a “place” to be, to embrace, and even to “go back” after some break of continuity.
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12 years after the day – 3/11. I am so proud of them continuing both “doing” and “protecting a place” in Otsuchi (@ootsuchisashikoproject) – they… and we can continue thanks to many support from all over the world.
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「継続が大事」。ありふれた言葉ではあるのですが、実際に継続することの難しさは、その言葉の簡単とは比較になりません。言うのは簡単。実行するのは大変。12年。大槌刺し子の歩みは決して楽なものじゃなく、というかまぁ凄く大変だった訳ですが、今現在も存在し且つ継続できているのは本当に本当に凄いことだと思います。「日常の継続」が著書で吉田さんが使った言葉「いとなみ」なのかもしれません。
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継続する人が一番凄いのは勿論なのですが、同時に「継続できる居場所を守る人」も存在します。私が目指しているのは、「居場所を守る人」の側。私の場合、刺し子を継続するだけであれば、多分それほど難しくないのです。もう十分に飽きたし嫌いになったので、惰性でもなんでも継続はするんだろうと思います。だからこそ「継続を応援する場所」をしっかりと継続していきたいなと。オンラインでの活動が主ですが、オフラインではきっとこういう笑顔になれると思うから。
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#Sashiko #刺し子 #JapaneseSashiko #日本人の刺し子 #大槌刺し子

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Sashiko is simple. This is a true statement. However, from a teaching perspective, there is a big difference between me saying it & someone non-Japanese saying it even if the statement itself is the exact same. I welcome everyone to enjoy Sashiko. As much as I appreciate the worries & concern for Cultural Appropriation (C/A), I do not want C/A to limit their creativity & fun. Therefore, in order to keep it this way, it is very important to be mindful of whom we are learning Sashiko, or anything for that matter, from.
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I “assume” they say “Sashiko is Simple” , associating it with its ease of stitching. Well, it is easy to enjoy Sashiko – but it is extremely difficult to teach the “simplicity” of Sashiko. When a teacher confuses the words “simple” and “easy”, then the C/A issue occurs. In general terms, I understand C/A applies to anyone who “consumes” it. For me, who still is learning what “consume” means in this line of definition, it is a matter of “Responsibility”. I have never met any Japanese Sashiko artisans, or masters with many decades say they know about Sashiko. None. They always specify “which” Sashiko they are representing – it is the sense of responsibility to protect their own Sashiko, and another responsibility (care) to preserve(respect) others. I never say & will say I understand “The Sashiko” – never use fancy words such as “supreme”, “ultimate”, “the whole”, “concluding”… you name it.
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As I am not so smart, I would like to keep things simple. I want you to enjoy Sashiko. If you worry about C/A, then don’t worry about it. Call it Sashiko if you want. Just be mindful of whom you are learning from – where the upstream of teachers’ teacher. If they think they know enough about Sashiko saying “Sashiko is Simple (Easy)” or worse “just because”… then, they may be “rewriting” the culture, with or without (good) intentions. I do not want to experience it again.
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英語に戻りました。配信等で「日本語圏のフォロワーさん増えないんだよなぁ」と呟くと、「英語の分量に圧倒されて…」という助言を頂きます。わかっているのですが、伝えなければいけないことの言語別の比率が日本語1に対して英語20くらいあるんです。その分量の違いです。また長々と英語での投稿を再開します。日本語でもしっかりと文章を書き続けますので、是非刺し子への思いを日々読み取って頂けたら嬉しいです。
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今日もお知らせです。An English Caption Follows the Japanese again. After this, it will go back to normal.
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昨日の「刺し子の展示会」に続いてのお知らせです。明日から英語中心の投稿に戻ります。さて、私の”今”の刺し子の原点でもある「大槌刺し子」の”いとなみ”が、尊敬する英治出版様 (@eijipress) より本になりました。私が娘を背負って育児をしながら、今回の著者の真衣ちゃんとスカイプ越しに沢山の話をしたのは良い思い出です。刺し子のハウツー本ではありません。写真集でもない。むしろ「働き方」という観点の本です。でも、きっと大切な何かが見つかると思います。
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大槌刺し子を通して向き合うことになった「刺し子ってなんだろう？」という真摯で真っ直ぐで不器用な思いは、これまでも沢山文章にしてきました。今後も書き続けるのだろうと思います。ただ、「”なぜ”私が刺し子と携わっているのか」という根本的な思いは、あまり言葉にしてきていません。それは転換期がとても個人的で苦しくて、でも大切な時間だったという理由の他に、「一部だけを切り取られたくないから」という願いがあるからです。2時間の講演のお時間を頂けるのであれば、全体像は語ることができるし、これまでも何回か機会は頂いてきました。でも、文章ではどこをどう切り取られるかわからない。だから、できるだけ避けてきました。「刺し子家業に生まれたから」という道ではなく、そこには「大槌刺し子」で得た覚悟が存在していて、その覚悟が今の礎になっていて。今回の出版に関しても丁寧にお話を聞いて下さいました。
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何がそれほど強烈だったのか。大槌刺し子の運営母体、認定NPO法人テラ・ルネッサンス（@terra_ngo）の皆様の活動や思いに感銘を受けたと言うのが短いまとめですが、彼らの刺し子への思いと活動に核があります。アフリカでの子供兵問題を中心に平和教育活動をされているNPOが、なぜ、どうやって、そしてこれまで大槌刺し子を継続してこられているか。「想い」を中心に、私たちの願いや思いも記して下さっています。編集者の方の力ではあるのですが、逆に「こんなこと載せていいのか？」と言う個人的なことまで書いて下さっています（笑）。ま、著者も出版社もOKなので私が心配することじゃないですね。ゲラを読んだ時には、ふと涙が溢れてきました。綺麗なことを文章にしがちですが、キツイ時間の方が多かったから。そんな10年という途方もない継続が記されています。是非お手に取って頂けたら嬉しいです。「いとなみを取り戻す」3/18発売予定です。感想聞かせて下さい！
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Well. This is NOT my book – but the project I had spent a good amount of time on, [Otsuchi Sashiko], published a book – not a book with “How to” or “Technique” of Sashiko – it is their 10 years of Stories with Sashiko. I share my stories with Otsuchi Sashiko in Workshops, Classes, and Webinars. This book is another side of stories from them – how we continue Sashiko even today. It is in Japanese, but if you can read it, please do so. It explains the Sashiko we pray for pretty well.
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Learning “How To” is important. However, that “how to” may create someone’s pain, especially when it is done by “someone” who does not live in the same culture. Sashiko introduced in English (by books/workshops/videos) are not wrong, but insufficient. I hope one day I can publish a book to elaborate on it.
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An English Caption Follows the Japanese today.
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2023年4月19日から22日の間、東京の月島の「元氣カフェ様（＠genkicafe_and_gallery）」の場所をお借りして、刺し子の展示会を開催します。恵子さんが作った作品や、「運針会」を中心としてご縁を頂いて一緒に作った作品等をご紹介する4日間になればと思っています。ガラスケースと煌びやかな照明の中で輝く刺し子ではなく、日本人の生活の一部だっただろう刺し子を知って感じて頂けたらと、ご縁を頂いたこのカフェで、恵子さんが1月に伺って即断してきた場所で、展示会を開催できること、心より嬉しく思っております。詳細は次のウェブサイトからご確認下さい。https://ift.tt/WtVCmA4
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2014年。母（恵子さん）とその息子（私）で再始動した刺し子と生きる日々の中で、なんとか刺し子を現実的に継続をしていけるだけの循環は作ろうと必死になってきました。配信やSNSを通して、少しずつ私等の存在を知って頂き、また激動の変化の中、Zoom越しの運針会等、オンラインを中心に沢山の素敵なご縁を頂いてきました。運針をお伝えし、「刺し子ってなんだろう？」と一緒に考えていく中で、私達が祈りを込める刺し子をご紹介できていれば幸いです。そんなオンラインで頂いたご縁を、オフラインで繋ぐ機会が、今回の「運針会＆二ツ谷恵子の刺し子展」です。恵子は在廊しております。フリーの時間も作ってあるので、是非お話に来て頂ければ。私は4月21日のオフ会に合わせて午後に合流する予定です。ちなみにですが、展示作品に触れて頂くことも可能です。刺し子の残り香というか、その刺し子の息吹を感じて頂けたら何よりです。
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刺し子展示会開催中に、簡単なものではありますがワークショップも企画しております。こちらは約1ヶ月前の3月19日の朝10時頃に予約開始できたらと思っています。野良着全体の手刺しの刺し子。そして、様々な刺し子を素敵なご縁によって形にできた刺し子展示会で、また素敵なご縁と繋がれますように。
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This is an announcement for Keiko & her friends [Sashiko Exhibition] in Tokyo between 4/19 to 4/22 in Tsukishima Old Town. (For the details, please check the website above). This isn’t an exhibition where “Art” shines under the bright LED & behind the crystal clear glass. This is an opportunity to feel & see the Sashiko that we believe that they were a part of the Japanese Ordinary & application to today’s society. Naturally, the visitor can touch the Sashiko pieces. For us, Sashiko isn’t Art to only display – it is fabric & garment – so they become their best shape when they are touched, or even “used” for that matter.
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Unfortunately, most of the exhibition contents are in Japanese, but I will take photos while visiting the exhibition as a part of “Sashiko Japan Trip 2023”. We sincerely appreciate those (you) for supporting us to make this happen. Next goal is to make this happen in USA…or anywhere in the world…?
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#Sashiko #sashikoexhibition #Japanesesashiko #刺し子 #展示会 #二ツ谷恵子 #keikofutatsuya #運針会刺し子展示会

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