Sambata, 29 septembrie - Intalnire de bun-venit si ... atelier "Nuno Zori"

In data de 29 septembrie Cercul “Prietenii Japoniei” a reluat intalnirile de cultura de sambata, dat fiind faptul ca studentii incepeau deja sa se intoarca la Cluj-Napoca. In aceasta intalnire am dorit sa le uram bun venit studentilor, sa aflam ce a facut fiecare interesant in timpul vacantei de vara, si am avut ca si invitati 2 doamne si o domnisoara din Japonia: dna Abe, dna Hamamoto Mizue si dra Ishihara Akiko. De asemenea, dna Abe ne-a invatat in cadrul acestei intalniri sa confectionam un fel de incaltaminte japoneza numita nuno zori.

Domnisoara Minodora B. a deschis intalnirea prin prezentarea unor papusi dragute din material textil pe care Asociatia le-a primit donatie din partea unei vechi participante la intalnirile de cultura de Sambata seara, d-na Ana-Maria B. 

Desi ele s-au dovedit a apartine unui alt popor Asiatic decat cel japonez, isi vor gasi locul potrivit in expozitii viitoare iar gestul  dansei ne umplu de recunostinta si aprecieri. Cu aceste ganduri si inspiratia primita, am inceput intalnirea ca de obicei, prin a ne prezenta si, de aceasta data, prin a spune ce am facut interesant in timpul vacantei de vara. Multi dintre participanti au avut experiente interesante, unii fiind plecati in strainatate, altii ramanand in Cluj. Cert este ca vara a fost, intr-un fel sau altul, relaxanta pentru fiecare.

Domnul Katsutaro Kawai a luat cuvantul si ne-a facut cunostinta cu invitatii din Japonia care au avut loc sa ne spuna cateva cuvinte despre ei si despre experienta lor in Romania. 

Dra Akiko ne-a impartasit ca a simtit caldura si amabilitatea romanilor si s-a simtit foarte bine. 

Ne-a relatat si despre o experienta mai putin placuta pe care a avut-o in timpul unei calatorii prin tara, cand si-a pierdut aparatul foto cu toate pozele pe care le-a facut in timpul sederii in Romania. Dra a adaugat insa, ca probabil acest lucru nu a fost intamplator si ca poate Dumnezeu vrea o sa invete ceva din asta. Dna Hamamoto, care a mai fost in vizita in Romania in toamna anului 2011, ne-a spus ca este incantata sa se afle din nou printre noi si sa vada fete cunoscute in randul participantilor. Dna Abe, o persoana vesela si sociabila, aflata pentru prima data in Romania, a dorit sa ne invete cum sa confectionam sandale japoneze din material textile numite nunozori. 

Dupa ce invitatii japonezi au spus cateva cuvinte, dat fiind faptul ca atelierul se anunta unul dificil, am trecut la treaba. Nuno zori este o incaltaminte confectionata din materiale uzate,precum yukata sau futon, si are drept scop recilarea. Intr-un fel se aseamana cu papusile chirimen, confectionate din resturi de kimono. Acest tip de incaltamine este destinata folosirii in casa, fiind confectionata din fasii de material din bumbac tesut pe 4 sfori groase.  Acest lucru se realizeaza cu ajutorul unei table de lemn si a unor carlige.

Ca si o curiozitate D-na Abe ne spunea ca in ultimul timp japonezii au inceput sa confectioneze tot mai mult acest tip de sandale pentru ca s-au facut cercetari si s-a dovedit ca presiunea pe care piciorul o exercita prin separarea data de “V”-ul sandalei degetului mare de celalalte 4 degete este foarte buna si  este benefica sanatatii.  Inainte de a trece la partea de atelier, ne-a povestit cum dansa a dorit sa dea cadou o pereche de astfel de incaltaminte fiecarui coleg de munca, la pensionare. Astfel, dansa a confectionat manual,60 de perechi de astfel de incaltaminte, timp in care s-a perfectionat.

Fiecare participant a primit o tabla de lemn cu carlige, trei fasii de material din yukata sau futon, taiate, alte snururi si materiale necesare, ac si ata. Dna Abe a dat instructiuni pe tot parcursul atelierului, ajutata de organizatorii intalnirii si de dna Hamamoto si dra Akiko. 

Chiar daca a durat mult si a fost destul de obositor, participantii au reusit in final, cu putin ajutor, sa realizeze una din cele doua sandale nuno zori necesare pentru o pereche.

 Deoarece realizarea unei singure sandale a durat destul de mult, a ramas ca doritorii sa continue sa confectioneze nuno zori, sa cumpere o tabla si sa isi continue munca acasa.

La finalul intalnirii ne-am bucurat de putin timp impreuna, savurand bunatatile pregatite de catre organizatori, dar si de prajiturile aduse de catre participanti, si de dulciuri japoneze, aduse de dna Hamamoto pentru noi din Japonia. A fost o intalnire reusita si o experienta interesanta, atat pentru noi, ca organizatori, cat si pentru participanti si pentru invitati. Multumim tuturor pentru participare si sa ne revedem cu bine la urmatoarea intalnire a Cercului “Prietenii Japoniei”.

*******English Version Bellow:*********

On 29^th of September, since the students started to return to Cluj-Napoca, Japan’s Friends Club restarted its cultural meetings.This time we wanted to welcome the students to Cluj, to find out how everyone spent their summer holidays and we also had 3 guests from Japan: Ms. Abe, Hamamoto Mizue and Ishihara Akiko. Also, Ms. Abe taught us in this meeting how to make nuno zori, a Japanese kind of footwear.

Miss Minodora B. opened the meeting by presenting some dolls made of textile that were donated to the Association by an old friend of the Circle that used to take part at the Saturday evening cultural meetings, Mrs. Ana-Maria B. Although the dolls turned to be part of another Asian nation than Japan, they will certainly find a place in our future exhibitions; her action filled us with gratitude and appreciations. With these thoughts and with the inspiration received we started the meeting as usual, introducing ourselves, and this time we also shared whatever interesting things we had done during the summer. Many of the participants had interesting experiences, some of them having gone abroad, while others remained in Cluj. One way or another, it’s certain that the summer was relaxing for each of us.

Mister Katsutaro Kawai introduced us our guests from Japan who had a few words about their experience in Romania. Ms. Akiko told us that she could feel the kindness and the warm heart of the Romanians and she felt very well. She also told us about an unfortunate experience, having lost her camera during a trip, along with all of her pictures taken in Romania in a few months period. However, she added that most likely she hadn’t lost her camera by chance, but probably God wants to teach her something from it. Ms. Hamamoto, who had been to Romania before, in the fall of 2011, said that she was happy to be here again and to recognize faces among the participants. Ms. Abe, a joyful and sociable person, for the first time in Romania, wanted to teach us how to make Japanese sandals from textile called nuno zori. As a curiosity she told us that lately Japanese started to make more this kind of sandals as the researches proved that they are very healthy because of the pressure made between the thumb and the other 4 fingers.

Before getting down to the workshop part, Mrs Abe told us how she wanted to give a farewell present to all of her 60 workmates, making a pair of nuno zori for each of them, before her retirement and that`s how she improved.

After our Japanese guests told us a few words, given the fact that the workshop was going to be tough, we got started right away. Nuno zori is a kind of footwear made out of used textures, like yukata or futon, with the purpose of  recycling. In a way, it ressembles chirimen dolls, which are made out of kimono cloth scraps. This kind of footwear is made for indoor use, the process involving weaving cloth strips around four thick straps, with the help of a wooden board and some hooks.

Every participant got a board with hooks, three stripes of cloth cut out of old yukata or futon, some straps and other required materials, a needle and a thread. Ms Abe gave instructions during the workshop, with the help of the organizers and the other two Japanese, Ms Hamamoto and Akiko. Even if it took a while and it was a bit tiring, the participants managed, with a little help, to make one of the two nuno zori necessary for a pair. Because one nuno zori took a long time to make, each participant could receive  one of our boards and finish the other pair at home.

At the end of the meeting we enjoyed a little time together, savoring what the organizers prepared for us, along with some cookies brought by one of the participants and some Japanese sweets brought by Ms. Hamamoto from Japan. It was an interesting meeting, for us as organizers, and also for our guests and the participants. We are thankful to every participant who ever came to our meetings and we hope to see everyone again.