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Other hemp images
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Gallery:
See also: Old prints about hemp farming (large)
See also: Kiseru pipes
See also: The floating world
See also: Miasa village (Nagano prefecture)
See also: Hemp in Gunma prefecture
See also: Hemp in Tochigi prefecture
See also: Hemp and sumo
See also: Asa no ha
See also: Other hemp images

See also:
See also: The "Hemp in Japan" Library

Taima Shukaku (Hemp Harvest)

Hemp harvest (Shimizu, 1929)

In 1929, one of the most celebrated paintings of its time, Shimizu's Taima Shukaku (Hemp Harvest) depicts farmers cutting down thick, dense hemp fields, surrounded by a vibrant valley. This painting was a finalist for a kind of national "painting of the year" award from the Japanese government.

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Military garments

Military hemp cap

This is a military cap as used by Japanese soldiers in WW2. It was made from hemp grown in the mountain valleys of Japan.

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Japanese government permit to cultivate cannabis hemp

Hemp license

Until 1948 hemp could be grown by anybody, anywhere in Japan, without any legal restrictions. Then the Hemp Control Law passed under American occupation required anybody wanting to cultivate the plant to obtain a government license. Initially that law was largely ignored. By the time the law was enforced very few hemp farmers were left in the country. In 1997 Mr. Marui, a lawyer specialising in marijuana cases, obtained two grow permits, one for Mr. Nakayama, a young farmer in Shizuoka, and another for himself for research purposes.

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Hemp rope and hemp paper streamers in Shinto shrines


Hemp rope and hemp paper
in 400 year old shrine in Saitama


Unprocessed hemp fibre, hemp paper streamers
(Shinto shrine in Sami village, Gifu)

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Ancient Cave Painting from Kyushu, Japan.

(Dave Olson collection)


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How the Yen got it's name

Japanese coins (7th century, Nara prefecture) The Japanese currency, the yen (¥) is pronounced en in Japanese and its kanji (Chinese character) also means circle, or round. It received that name because the coins literally used to be circles with a hole in the middle, just like a washer. In fact two of the yen coins in circulation today, the 5 yen and 50 yen coins are still like that. The reason for the hole is that coins used to be lined up on hemp strings and carried around like that. In historic Japan (as in China and Korea before) everybody's wallet used to be a piece of hemp, the most durable and trusted natural fibre known to man.

These are some of the oldest coins ever found in Japan. They have never been in circulation after having been minted. Every one of them has a square hole in the middle, to go onto a hemp string like beads on a necklace.

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Fine Japanese Hemp from Aurora Dyeworks.
Cheryl Kolander Collection

Fine Japanese Hemp from Aurora Dyeworks.
Cheryl Kolander Collection

Fine Japanese Hemp from Aurora Dyeworks.
Cheryl Kolander Collection

Fine Japanese Hemp from Aurora Dyeworks.
Cheryl Kolander Collection

Hemp Noren (Curtain)
(Dave Olson collection)

Noren Detail (note background pattern)
(Dave Olson collection)

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'Asa no ha' pattern
'Asa no ha' pattern
The Asanoha (Hemp Leaf) pattern is a popular traditional pattern often seen on Japanese kimono. Though often people forget about this today, the regular geometric pattern represents overlapping hemp leaves.

Because hemp was known for it's rapid growth, the pattern was often used for clothes of newborn children. The wives of merchants would also often wear it. It was believed to bring good fortune to the wearer.

See also:
See also: Traditional patterns in Japan


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