14 AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU RICE STRAW AND REEDS Not simply a byproduct of rice production, rice straw (wara わら), the dried stalks of rice plants, was one of the most versatile and useful materials of the Edo period. Most frequently used for rope, rice straw also became the raw material for making sandals, floor mats and cushions, pouches and bags, aprons, and even rain coats. These items could be roughly or finely woven, depending on what was needed, and were lightweight, flexible, and surprisingly durable. For farmers, making such products was a potential source of extra income. Reeds were another important renewable material, used to thatch roofs in most rural areas. Often grown on otherwise unusable hillsides, dried reeds were widely used as an inexpensive, if labor intensive, thatching. Such roofs could be patched easily when needed, and lasted about 20 years before needing complete replacement. Both rice straw and reeds were completely renewable resources. After use, they simply became compost or mulch. If used as fuel, even the leftover ash was used in dyes, ceramic glazes, cleaning abrasives, andmore. KatsushikaHokusai 葛飾北斎 (Japanese, 1760–1849) LowerMeguro, fromthe series Thirty-sixViews ofMt. Fuji, early 1830s Color woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper MaryA. AinsworthBequest, 1950.719 In this print fromHokusai’s renowned series of landscapes, Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji, the mountain is barely seen, peeking above the hills at the center. Much more prominent are the terraced fields coveringmany of the hills. We can see both rice straw and reeds here. In the lower right, two samurai are taking their falcons out to hunt, and a farmer kneels to show his deference to these members of the ruling elite. Above the farmer, tucked in the hills, are two stacks of drying rice straw. Near the farmhouses at the lower left are stacks of reeds, close to where they will be needed for roof repair. After drying for a fewmonths, the reeds could be stored in the lofts under the roofs, where they could dry further, adding insulation to the home and also gaining insect resistance through exposure to the rising hearth smoke.
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