Cultural Experience

Shimenawa Making Experience

Shimenawa Making Experience

A hands-on experience focused on creating shimenawa, traditional Shinto ropes made from wara (straw). These ropes, historically used by Futo-tama to confine Amaterasu, are used to purify spaces, mark where kami (gods) reside, and welcome Toshigami (New Year God). An experienced local craftsperson will teach you how to prepare the straw and weave the ropes using green wara

Details

Plan Price

¥4,700 per person

What’s Included

・Experience fee
・Materials fee
・Consumption tax

Not Included

Meals

Set Dates

October-December
*Available on weekdays, weekends, and holidays. However, please note that reservations are subject to availability, so we recommend inquiring in advance.
*This program is scheduled to continue in subsequent years.

Excluded Dates

January-September

Time Length

150 minutes

Meeting Place & Time

[Meeting Place]
Meeting location*: Izunuma Nosan Co., Ltc. (149-7 Maenuma, Nitta, Hasama-cho, Tome City, Miyagi)

[Meeting time]
Please arrive 5 minutes prior to experience start time

*Meeting location may vary depending on date of experience and number of participants.

Map

Min. # of Participants

6 people

Max. # of Participants

10 people

Supported Languages

Japanese (If an English-speaking guide is necessary, please inquire.)

Plan Details

Wara straw is a material which has come to have many uses thanks to the ingenuity of farming families, who make a diverse array of tools and objects from it. One of the most representative uses of wara straw is shimenawa.
But what is a shimenawa? In shinto, shimenawa are traditional ropes made from hemp or straw used to purify spaces and mark locations kami are believed to inhabit. Legend has it that the first use of a shimenawa was by the god Futo-tama, who used one to prevent the sun goddess Amaterasu from returning to the cave she had been hiding in following an argument with her brother Susanoo.
As a means of purifying spaces and preventing evil from entering, shimenawa ropes are also hung to welcome the god Toshigami into one’s home. This exclusive experience offers visitors the chance to make a shimenawa decoration for your home using green wara. An experienced local craftsperson will teach you how to prepare the straw and weave it into these fascinating ropes used to purify homes and hearts.

Course Details

Meet at venue→ Shimenawa making experience→ experience concludes

Necessary When Making a Reservation

1. Desired date
2. Desired time
3. Names of participants (representative’s name only also acceptable)
4. Contact information (representative’s contact information)

Other (Notes)

-Please wear clothing you don’t mind getting a little dirty (long sleeves and long pants please, no skirts allowed. Warm clothing recommended.

-Particiants will remove shoes prior to starting the experience

-We ask those who wish to tour a nagayamon residence to please submit that request separately

Cancellation Policy

8-29 days prior to experience date: 30%
2-7 days prior to experience date: 40%
1 day prior to experience date: 50%
Day of experience (including no-shows): 100%

Closing Date

30 business day prior to experience date

Operating Company

Izunuma Nosan Co., Ltd. (Head Contact: Hiromi Sato)
travel@izunuma.co.jp
Address: 149-7 Maenuma, Nitta, Hasama-cho, Tome City, Miyagi

Inquiries

Miyagi Prefecture Tourism Federation
14th floor of the Miyagi Prefectural Government Building, 3-8-1, Hon-cho, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi, Japan 〒980-8570
Tel: +81-22-221-1864 Fax: +81-22-211-2829
Email: dmo@miyagi-kankou.or.jp
Business Days: Monday to Friday
Business Hours: 8:30 am – 5:15 pm (JST)