Tatebanko

I'm so excited about this.

I saw a 3D paper model of The Great Wave in a shop in Ulverston when I was on holiday. I was admiring it (because I love that picture), thinking it was for sale, and then realised it was a kit that you actually made for yourself. I was over the moon!

There is something so therapeutic about slowly and carefully cutting out paper - it's up there with origami for me in helping my monkey mind. I'm sure I was Japanese in a previous life hehe.

As soon as I saw the model it brought back a memory from childhood. I used to have a beautiful Japanese 3d picture in my room when I was little. It was a scene with a Japanese wooden bridge, with 2 figures standing on it surrounded by trees covered in blossom. It was all made from really fine, individually cut wood pieces, even the individual blossom flowers. Eventually the blossom started falling off the trees but it didn't really matter because it just added to the effect. I don't know what happened to that picture, but it was very pretty and wherever it now is I bet there are a few bare trees!

According to the model I bought Tatebanko "is a forgotten Japanese art of creating amazing dioramas and scenic perspective from paper" and "was popular and widely admired from the Edo period (17th century) to the early 20th century. Then it all but disappeared."

I'm glad it's been revived because I think it's ace :-)