This article is from WeChat official account:Design360 (ID: design360magazine), author: JAPAN HOUSE , the original title: “After reading this 50 traditional Japanese packaging, can better understand the Japanese packaging design and practical sense The Beauty of Artistic Conception Between Sex, title picture from: Visual China

For the Japanese, packaging is not just an ornament designed for the pursuit of formal beauty and exquisite function. Japanese packaging culture originated in the prehistoric Jomon period from 14000 to 1000 BC. After thousands of years of evolution, Today, Japanese packaging design has developed into a kind of practicality, artistry and belief meaning. form.

When people see an object wrapped in pure white paper in a folded manner, they will feel a sense of purity and understand that this is an object that has not been used. The economical egg packaging is reminiscent of nature’s sophisticated functions and the sensibility given by the people who use it. People can also feel a softness like water if they pick up a piece of wind compress.

< /p>

It can be said that packaging for Japanese people is a respect for nature and wisdom, a communication with gods, and a language of spiritual dialogue, which allows people to be more closely connected with each other.

These are comparable to works of artThe packaging has a highly recognizable Japanese style, and according to the specific packaged products, it is designed into a distinctive and strange form. Japan House London, a Japanese cultural museum in London, compiled more than 50 different styles of traditional Japanese packaging designs, and analyzed and displayed them from 9 different angles. This article will share these interesting and distinctive Japanese traditional packaging designs one by one.

Understand Japanese traditional packaging from 9 perspectives

1. Practical functionality of packaging

Whether it’s the “Tamago-Tsuto” bundled egg packaging for protecting precious eggs and facilitating its transportation and storage, or the cylindrical rice bag “Kome-” that can reduce the burden of heavy rice transportation and roll on the ground. “Dawara”, the Japanese have been using their wisdom since the agricultural era to study the natural materials around them, create a variety of functional food packaging methods, and make their diet more reasonable and diversified.

Bundle packaging for protecting and transporting eggs

Cylinder-shaped rice bag for storing and transporting rice

mesh bag packaging for oranges

mesh packaging for storing frozen mochi

The packaging method of tying food into bunches and air-drying storage

2. Packaging with a sense of sacredness

In the eyes of the Japanese, fresh and flawless paper is sacred and inviolable. They believe that in the process of packaging paper, they can feel a certain sense of mystery. In the “Omamori” similar to amulets, the evil spirits favored by the gods are packed in a small bag or small box so that people can take them with them; shrines or temples will wrap rice or cash in pure white paper and use them as Sacrificial offerings; “Ohineri”, which is given to kabuki lovers in small paper bags with change and gifts; and “Nagashi-Bina” Hina dolls used in the Doll Festival. These classic Japanese traditional packages are given The meaning of faith.

Amulets containing evil spirits in the shrine

Small paper bag containing change and gifts

Hina dolls used in the doll festival

The sacrifice of Shiba Grand Shrine, Chimu Yun

3. Packaging for formal occasions

When people need to give gifts formally in celebrations, festivals or condolences, changing the way they are packaged according to the gifts they give is also a way to show good manners to the recipients. Many of the elements and objects used in these packaging are derived from ancient nobles and samurai societies.The etiquette, conventions and customs of the meeting. Among them are Mizuhiki Cords, which are considered to be the cord between the gods and the world in traditional Japanese beliefs, and foldable packages that are folded and wrapped depending on the content. The new applications of these traditional products have also extended the ancient Japanese culture to today’s modern society.

Hejin envelope with water catch design

He Jin’s various packaging methods

Japanese traditional origami decorations

Chopsticks packaging used in festivals

4. Paper packaging

Japan is rich in mulberry trees that can be used as raw materials for paper making, so a wide variety of paper has been produced for a long time. When people add bright colors to the base paper and depict complex graphics, various paper packages are made. Among them, the packaging of various products provided by many confectionery shops in Kyoto and Nara are more classic examples, which show the exquisite packaging design skills of ancient Japanese capitals. In addition, the hot Japanese steamed buns and taiyaki wrapped in simple paper casually bring a sense of warmth and intimacy, and also make people feel another charm of paper packaging.

Pickled cucumber packaging at Nara dim sum shop

Santiao Wakasaya’s Mochi Packaging

Sasaya Iori’s snack packaging

Product packaging of Yibaotang Tea

Paper packaging of various candies and desserts

5. Bamboo packaging

There are many wild bamboos from Kyushu Island in the south of Japan to Hokkaido in the north, so bamboo is also one of the most familiar natural resources in Japan. Cut off the bamboo stems at the right place to make a vessel for holding water, and thin the bamboo skin and then weave it to make a delicate basket. In addition, bamboo sheath is said to have an antiseptic effect, which can slow down the deterioration of the wrapped food. Some people even say that the custom of wrapping rice balls in a bamboo sheath and carrying them around is the origin of today’s bento.

Bamboo leaf packaging

Utensils made of bamboo skin

Bamboo hat packaging

Bamboo sheath packaging

6. Seasonal plant packaging

The Japanese divide the year into “72 epochs”. They are also very sensitive to the changes of the seasons. The wagashi wrapped in leaves reflects this sensitivity. It is also said that the leaves are used as packaging materials to make the wagashi more portable, and also to prevent drying. In addition, sakura mochi wrapped in sakura leaves, Kashiwa mochi wrapped in oak leaves, and rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves are common Japanese foods that use seasonal plants as packaging.

Mochi wrapped in camellia leaf

Sweet rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves

Mochi wrapped in cherry blossom leaves

Kashiwa mochi wrapped in oak leaves

7. Wooden packaging

Japan has a mild and humid climate, There are many kinds of trees, and 70% of its land area is covered by forests. Wood has always been a practical material for building houses, building tools, and making strong storage containers. The Japanese also found that the unprocessed wood exudes extremely pure, faintly silky luster, so wood has always been their material for making altars and special gift boxes dedicated to gods.

toothpick box

Mochi Box

A variety of sweets and snack boxes

8. Straw packaging

It is said that Japanese culture is rooted in rice cultivation civilization and gradually developed with this as the core. The method of using harvested and dried straw for packaging gives us a glimpse of the state of Japanese agricultural life and its delicateness. Straw has a strong fiber structure, but also has a certain degree of elasticity and flexibility. It is an ideal material for wrapping fragile items. The fact that straw is the most easily available material in Japan has also promoted the prosperity and development of unique straw packaging culture in Japan.

Wine bottle packaging

Yellowfish packaging

Natto packaging

9. 風luashi

A single piece of air compress can wrap any complex shapes such as boxes, large bottles, or spheres. Because a piece of cloth can be used for multiple times and multiple purposes, the furoshiki has different uses in different eras, and it is still innovating today. Here are five ways to wrap items with furoshiki, including the knotless packaging method “Hira-Tsutsumi”, the half-folding method “Awase-Tsutsumi” that allows people to carry two bottles of wine with one hand, and so on.

This article is from WeChat official account:Design360 (ID: design360magazine), author: JAPAN HOUSE