Microseason: Reeds Emerge

SPRING

GRAIN RAIN

REEDS EMERGE

20 - 24 April

Slender shoots of reeds, including ashi or yoshi, emerge in wetlands and riverbanks, signaling the arrival of Spring’s full embrace. Reeds, with their tall, graceful forms, are a quintessential feature of the Japanese landscape. These perennial plants are known for their remarkable versatility. Their hollow, sturdy stalks have served us for centuries, particularly in the creation of sudaré screens.

Sudaré refers to latticework made of woven bamboo, reed stalks, or rush. This simple yet ingenious structure has long been used to provide shade, maintain privacy, frame views, and manipulate light, in homes, temples, teahouses, and even in farmland across Japan.

In Kyoto, sudaré has a long history, deeply rooted in the city’s architectural traditions, climate, as well as spatially tight urban planning. Sudaré has become an indispensable element of everyday living. There is a huge spectrum of sudaré which include, for indoor-use, for outdoor-use, to cover tea plants, to create a theatrical view of gardens, to play with light in a tearoom, to create visual privacy between neighbors, to create a barrier between humans and the gods in temples and shrines. Whether the working class or the aristocratic class, sudaré of varying grades has been used by everyone.

Sudaré is an intricate craft that relies on the use of natural raw materials, each contributing to the overall function and aesthetic of the screen. Bamboo, a quintessentially Japanese material, is prized for its lightness, strength, and delicate beauty. The bamboo used in sudaré can be sourced from both wild and cultivated bamboo groves, with some of the finest bamboo coming from areas like Arashiyama, located just outside Kyoto.

Reeds, particularly those that grow in riverbeds and wetlands, are also widely used in sudaré making. The stalks are harvested when they are mature, and sun-dried across Winter. One of the most notable sources of reeds in Japan, particularly for high-quality sudaré, is yoshi reeds that grow around Lake Biwa. Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake, has long been associated with the cultivation of these reeds. The lake’s extensive marshland areas, where the nutrient-rich waters provide the perfect environment for them to thrive. The local harvesting practices have been passed down through generations, with skilled artisans carefully selecting and cutting the reeds in Winter. The reeds are then dried and processed, ready to be woven into the intricate latticework of sudare.

Another material occasionally used in the construction of sudaré is rush called tokusa. Tokusa has a somewhat coarser texture than reeds and bamboo, but it is still flexible and durable enough to be woven into screens. Its slender stems, often found in wetland areas, provide a unique texture and appearance when incorporated into sudaré making.

The weaving process itself is a delicate balance of form and function. The individual strands of bamboo, reed, or rush are woven together in intricate patterns to meet the preference of filtered light. Sudaré are often used not just for their utilitarian function but also for their artistic quality, contributing to the overall ambiance of a space.

In addition to their use in architecture, reeds have also played an important role in traditional medicine, where different parts of the plant were believed to possess various healing properties. The ancient practice of harvesting reeds, often performed after the rice harvest, became a ritual tied to the changing seasons.

Beyond their practical uses, reeds hold a special place in the collective imagination. The soft, golden plumes of reeds sway gentle Autumn winds. This imagery is pervasive in Japanese art, literature, and poetry, evoking feelings of the passage of time. The newly sprouting shoots of Spring, known as ashikabi or reed fangs, represent the resilience of nature. These young shoots, sharp and pointed, emerge from the earth like tiny horns.

Photo credit: Momoko Nakamura