Shirige (cut-out picture)
Traditional paper-cutting picture in the Hiruzen
A traditional Bon dance, Omiya-odori in the Hiruzen region is performed in a circle.
There is a large lantern in the center of the dance circle, decorated with beautiful paper-cutting pictures called Shirige hung at the bottom of the lantern together with zigzag-shaped white paper Shides.
POSTED on 2025/01/14
There is a large lantern in the center of the dance circle, decorated with beautiful paper-cutting pictures called Shirige hung at the bottom of the lantern together with zigzag-shaped white paper Shides.
The origin of the name Shiride is said to come from the picture hung at the bottom (Shiri) of the lantern or from a story that people hung hairs (Ge) taken from the buttocks (Shiri) of an animal to ward off evil spirits that would come to lick the oil from the lantern.
It is made by putting three to five sheets of Japanese Washi, Mino paper, under a sketch of a beautiful woman or similar painting, and the sketch is carved with a bladed tool such as a box cutter.
