Every year in Japan, on New Year's Day many lucky children all over the country are given presents of cash known as otoshidama. The (usually) crisp new bills are folded into thirds and placed into sweet little envelopes known as "Pochibukuro".
Shin Hinagata Pochibukuro is a book filled with sweet envelope designs, I'm assuming by a designer called Shin Hinagata.
( ***Update... Thanks to Clare Maree, translator extraordinaire, I now know that "Shin Hinagata" is not in fact the designers name - but rather means "new templates"... as I say later in this post... I really should have studied more... *** )
It appears that the book is intended to be cut up as all the envelope patterns are printed on templates and the other side of the page has a co-ordinating pattern. There is no way I could bring myself to put a pair of scissors to this book though! The designs have been inspired by a range of traditional Japanese motifs. There are simple elegant ones with Kamon family crest designs...
...some of my favourite are inspired by kimono ensembles...
... and I couldn't get through this post without showing a pattern taken from kimono fabric could I...
...there are old-style patterns
...some from ukiyo-e artwork...
...I love the skulk of foxes in this old print and the woman appears to be running outdoors without her shoes... I'd love to know more about this artwork and if I could read Japanese, I believe that the facing page would tell me its story... maybe I should have studied harder...
...a number of designs have been inspired by kabuki costumes...
... the simplicity of this one just makes my heart sing. I think I would be equally excited about the envelope as I would the money inside...
... and I couldn't get through this post without showing a pattern taken from kimono fabric could I...
This is one of my many books I bought in Japan, but with a bit of a hunt, I was able to find it for sale online here. There are a couple of other books on the market about Pochibukuro, neither of which I've seen inside, but in case you're interested, I found this one and this one.
Shin Hinagata Pochibukuro: ISBN4-8373-0629-2
If you're like me and would love to make some pretty little envelopes to put tiny treasures in for friends, but couldn't bare the thought of cutting up such a gorgeous book, then you're in luck, visit this site, it has a super cute selection of designs ready for you to print out for free!
