Long, rectangular back cushion, or "senaka-ate," woven from rice straw ("wara") and consisting of two "sides" or layers. One side is 8 1-inch single-plait braids wide, lying vertically side-by-side with slight separation. They are joined by a single cord pushed through braids horizontally at their vertical midpoint. The other side of the cushion feature a basket weave: bunches of untwisted/unbraided rice straw form "warps" held in place by thin braided "wefts" spaced at roughly 5" intervals. These braids become untwisted, loose straw along the top. Entire cushion is encircled by braided "rim." Two straw cords attached at opposite points along sides form carrying shoulder straps; these cords are pushed through bottom of cushion just above rim and knotted together on opposite side. length - 22", width - 11", thickness - 1.5
Donor:
Dai Williams, Estate of Karin Nelson, and Karin Nelson
Collection place:
Kuguno town (historical), Takayama, Gifu Prefecture
Culture or time period:
Japanese
Maker or artist:
Sakada-san
Collector:
Dai Williams
Collection date:
July 7, 1997
Materials:
Rice straw
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Cushions
Function:
1.2 Gathering
Accession date:
March 20, 2012
Department:
Asia (except western Russia)
Dimensions:
depth 1.5 inches, weight 11 inches, and length 22 inches
Comment:
Senaka-ate" means "back protector" or "back support" in Japanese. It describes the mats worn while carrying raw agricultural materials over the shoulder as protection from wet, burdensome loads. The term "senaka-ate" is also used to describe a type of basket, known in Nagano and Yamanashi Prefectures as "neko," "ichiko," "doshoi," "shoiko," "sengo senakaate," and "nekoza." This heavy basket, worn on the back with shoulder carrying straps, served the dual function of carrying loads and protecting the back from heavy, awkward or angular loads. Tag also labeled "mino," or rain cape, suggesting that it was designed to buffer the user from wet weather conditions.