Bunka no Hi Event

◆ Culture Day Event On November 2nd, 2025, we introduced Koginzashi at the Culture Day event hosted by the JCCCW (Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington) in Seattle. There is also an explanation in Japanese, so please click to take a look. The theme was "Finding New Beauty - Artful Mending," and artists who introduced sashiko and kintsugi techniques also participated.

Our exhibition booth was more than spacious enough for the day, and we even had the opportunity to demonstrate it for 30 minutes. After the emcee gave a thorough introduction to Kogin embroidery, we demonstrated everything from threading the needle to stitching, thread handling, and thread finishing. My family was invited to join me for the demonstration, and the attendees' reactions to the thread handling and thread finishing sections were incredibly enthusiastic. Since I started Kogin embroidery and began thread handling, I've been conscious of thread handling every time I pull out the thread, so I was incredibly grateful to see everyone responding to that part. The monitor displayed my hands, allowing them to clearly see the intricate details of the work. With the emcee, Mari, translating for me, I was able to confidently perform Kogin embroidery in Japanese. My demonstration was early in the day, but I had a lot of fun chatting with people who had seen my demonstration at the venue, who came to my booth. When you do something you love, you forget about being shy!
Fellow Kogin artists, just on November 2nd, so many people (even more) showed interest in Kogin in the Seattle area! I've only been to three events in the US, but every time, I've received incredibly respectful looks and words of appreciation for the traditional craft. Since coming to America, I've grown to love Kogin embroidery even more. I'm so grateful for the positive reactions of the customers to Kogin embroidery and the enthusiasm with which they ask so many in-depth questions.

(Demonstration provided by JCCCW)

◆Beautifully Reinforcing Things When I was invited to participate in the event, I was told that the theme was "Treasing things, reinforcing them beautifully, and reviving the Japanese culture." I had a vague understanding that Kogin embroidery has historically been about beautifully reinforcing things to make them last longer, but I wasn't sure if I understood it well enough to convey the message. So, this summer, when I was invited to participate in this event, I took the opportunity to visit the Yumemiru Kogin Museum in Hirosaki during a brief visit back to Japan. Ishida-san carefully explained the history and materials of Kogin embroidery, as well as actual vintage Kogin pieces, and shared the stories behind the many pieces on display. This helped to calm the thoughts that had been floating around in my head and prepare me mentally for the event. I plan to share my experience of visiting the Yumemiru Kogin Museum on my blog again, but this event and other experiences have really taught me the greatness of having fabric and storytellers right in front of me.

◆After the interview , I was also interviewed by a reporter from SOUTH SEATTLE EMERALD , a non-profit online news media, and I spoke about Kogin embroidery. Being featured in the media has a huge impact in terms of awareness. Before coming to America, I couldn't have imagined myself introducing Kogin embroidery in Seattle in this way, so I was filled with a truly grateful feeling.

◆ Kogin embroidery and Satonobo
The only event I've participated in in the US so far is Bellevue's Japan Fair, and somehow I feel like the works with white thread on a navy blue background, which follow the traditional style of Kogin embroidery, get a better response. However, this time, I feel like the colorful works that are so characteristic of Satonobou were also well received by more people. I especially enjoyed the genuine reactions of the students and younger generations, and just seeing the excitement of the people who came to our booth with the three of us flipping through the portfolio was such a reward that it made me feel really glad that we had participated! Our activities in the US are still slow, but my next goal is to hold a workshop. There are many things I need to work hard on, but I hope to reflect what I learn from each experience in my work!

▶️Materials Research Blog
▶️Shop (currently being adjusted)
▶︎Digital data sales of PDF kit designs and instructions
・Hinamatsuri 2022 minne sales page
・Gentle-faced goldfish Nebuta minne sales page
・Bold-faced Goldfish Nebuta minne sales page
▶︎Goldfish Nebuta Kit (Full Set) koginbank Online Shop
▶︎ NEW Partial Kit Tue Shop (A general store located in Komise, Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture)
▶️Instagram (We share the simplicity and fun of Kogin embroidery through videos, etc.)
 

Satonobou