Pine Needles and Plum Kaga Mizuhiki Decorative Rubber Band

This is a decorative rubber band with pine needles and a plum motif by the Tsuda Mizuhiki brand, "knot". Gold and silver mizuhiki threads are used, and the combination of gorgeous and bright colors is festive.

"Matsuba (pine needles)" is a lucky charm because it means that even when leaves fall off, the two leaves remain firmly connected and will never become separated. Since the two leaves will never be separated, it also has the meaning of marital bliss. The plum is considered auspicious in Japan, along with "Sho-chiku-bai" (pine, bamboo, and plum). 

It can be used in a variety of ways, including as a decoration for lunch boxes, napkin holders, and wine, as shown in the photo, to add a Japanese flair.

Mizuhiki motifs are often used as hair ornaments when wearing kimonos.
It is also a good idea to use it as a gift ornament to accompany gift wrapping. The ends of the elastic band are not being tied, so they can be cut and adjusted to fit what you are tying.

Tsuda Mizuhiki

Knot is a brand of long-established company Tsuda Mizuhiki, the originator of Kaga mizuhiki, a traditional cord-tying craft. The brand name plays on the words “knot” and “not” to suggest their pieces are different from traditional mizuhiki knots, and “not” the same as before. At their core is a confidence that the essence of mizuhiki will never change.

Knot aims to pass on the tradition and culture of mizuhiki while creating items that appeal to a new generation and wider audience, such as designs with modern colors or small items that can be easily incorporated into daily life.

Kaga Mizuhiki

The techniques of Kaga mizuhiki, based in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, have a storied history. Around 1915, the first generation, Tsuda Sokichi, innovated off of the typical two-dimensional string folds of mizuhiki knots to create new three-dimensional forms. Ume Tsuda, the second generation, inherited the technique and established Kaga mizuhiki craftsmanship as a definitive art form. The company has now been passed down to the fifth generation, and continues to evolve while preserving and passing on the true essence of mizuhiki.