People get traditional for a cool summer

2011/07/02

Iron wind chimes made by the Oigen Foundry Co. in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, with paper messages from disaster-stricken areas (Masaru Komiyaji)Edo "yukata" cotton kimono cloth hangs at an indigo dyeing factory in Tokyo's Edogawa Ward. (Shire Nishihata)Yasoji Matsumoto, left, in Tochigi, Tochigi Prefecture, makes "yoshizu" reed blinds with a colleague. (Mari Endo)

Amid summer energy-saving campaigns, many people are turning back the clock, keeping specialty stores selling traditional products busy trying to keep up with orders.

At Takatsune Co. in Tokyo's Edogawa Ward, a manufacturer of Edo "yukata" cotton kimono, orders by individuals increased 2.5 times. A store official says it cannot keep up with demand.

The beautiful indigo-dyed yukata cloth is light and airy, perfect for the outrageous summer heat and humidity.

Oigen Foundry Co. in Oshu's Mizusawa district in Iwate Prefecture, which has been making Nambu ironware since the Edo period (1603-1867), normally sells 65,000 wind chimes a year. But this year business is booming, and the firm projects sales at about 100,000 chimes.

Customers can have a paper message attached to chimes with a string if they wish. Messages include "Hang in there, Tohoku. Hang in there Japan."

Yasoji Matsumoto, 69, who makes and sells reed blinds, has received twice as many orders this year. He has kept himself busy at his workshop in Tochigi, Tochigi Prefecture, giving up his holidays.

Car dealers and offices with large window areas are ordering the blinds, he said.