Leather Drawstring Bag - Charcoal

Drawing on traditions of the Matagi people of Tōhoku, northeastern Japan, this leather bag was designed for everyday use as a modern accessory. It is soft and durable, and keeps its contents safe from moisture. The Matagi are a distinct group whose culture has roots in hunting and the mountains. Their heritage holds that every animal is a gift from the mountain gods, and as such when hunting their practice has been to praise and use every part of their prey, leaving nothing to waste. The Matagi culture has produced winter clothes from deer hide and bags like these to carry tools and gunpowder. The hide used in these products is derived from the annual cull of around 20,000 deer in Iwate Prefecture, a measure necessary to control their population, and reduce damage to forests and crops. The ‘yama no itadaki‘ project was born to commercialise products made of deer hide that would otherwise be wasted, and to generate awareness of living respectfully with the mountain environment and provoke a sense of gratitude and reverence towards nature.

Size: L24 cm x W17 cm x H8 cm

Kyūshū and Okinawa

This is Japan’s south-west region including the island of Kyūshū and the sub-tropical island chain of Okinawa. Kyūshū was an early centre of Japanese civilization, and offers many historic treasures, modern cities and volcanic natural beauty. It is home to the ports of Kagoshima, Nagasaki and Fukuoka, the porcelain manufacturing centre in Arita and the Tanegashima Space Center launch site.