Japanese Baskets

After researching for a significant amount of time, as to which Asian art piece or artifact interested me, I came across Japanese bamboo baskets.

Bamboo, having an intersting aesthetic quality, as well as being very sturdy, is a preferred plant to make wicker furniture. It also forms a very tough hardwood, which is used to make toys, intruments, fences, and ofcourse, Japanese baskets.

Japanese baskets date back to Muromachi period (1392-1568). They were first utilized as practical items where they were used for alter offerings. However, with time, they began to be used in tea ceremonies to display flowers, and eventually transformed into glorious works of art. Early artisans wove baskets from bamboo because of its toughness and durability and used them for Japanese tea ceremonies and for Ikebana flower displays. In present days, Japanese baskets also serve as fruit and letter holders.

When I first looked at the basket, I was in awe at how beautifully the basket was crafted and the durability of it. It has a harmonious and rhythmic feel because of the different sizes of bamboo that was used for its construction. This piece of art will continue to enchant people of today and the future, with its presence of harmony, simplicity, and elegance.