What is traditional Japanese craft “Tsumami-zaiku”? Realistic Flower Ornaments by Aogiku

Tsumami-zaiku (つまみ細工) is a traditional Japanese craft, mostly used to make Japanese ornamental hairpins called Kanzashi (かんざし). There are many Tsumami-zaiku artisans in Japan, but among them, Aogiku stands out as one of the best. 

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• What is “Tsumami-zaiku”?
• Talented Tsumami-zaiku Artisan Aogiku 
• Beautiful Realistic Flower Ornaments Made from Cloth

What is “Tsumami-zaiku”?

Tsumami-zaiku (つまみ細工), or just “Tsumami” is a traditional craft that originated in Japan. Using the Tsumami technique, Japanese artisans make petals, flowers, leaves, vines, butterflies, birds, etc. for Kanzashi (ornamental hairpins). Nowadays, there are also Tsumami-zaiku for ornamental decorations, keychains, earrings, bracelets, rings, and all manner of items. 

There is no proper record of when exactly the art of Tsumami first started, but Tsumami Kanzashi have been worn by Japanese women for over 200 years. Tsumami (摘み) means “pinch”, so the technique of Tsumami involves pinching to fold cloth using tweezers, and gluing them in place. It is a delicate process that requires steady hands. 

Peony Tsumami Kanzashi Set for Coming-of-Age Ceremony

In Japan, Tsumami Kanzashi are particularly popular during special occasions like weddings, coming-of-age ceremonies, graduation ceremonies, and Shichi-Go-San. They are most often paired with Kimono or Yukatas, but nowadays there are also Western-style Tsumami Kanzashis to match with Western-style wedding dresses and other Western dresses. 

You can order a custom-made Tsumami Kanzashi to match the dress for your once in a lifetime event. 

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Talented Tsumami-zaiku Artisan Aogiku 

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Searching using keyword 「つまみ細工 」on Japanese handmade market sites like Creema and Minne is sure to return you many products results, but here we would like to introduce you to a talented Tsumami-zaiku artisan who goes by Aogiku 蒼菊 (@aogiku_tsumami), which means “Blue Chrysantemum”. 

Aogiku first started doing Tsumami in 2017. She has been fond of Japanese culture since she was a child. She liked the design of Japanese crafts such as traditional Japanese sweets (wagashi 和菓子) and Japanese paper (washi 和紙). By chance, she came across Tsumami-zaiku in magazines and decided to try making them.

In 2018, Aogiku came up with the idea of presenting Japanese family crests (kamon 家紋), unique symbols to identify important Japanese families and samurai, as Tsumami-zaiku. This original idea named “Tsumami-mon (つまみ紋)” is registered as a trademark under her name. 

Beautiful Realistic Flower Ornaments Made from Cloth

In addition to family crests, Aogiku also makes incredibly realistic flowers with her Tsumami technique. Cherry blossoms, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, and more, it is really impossible to tell that they are made of cloth! The clever use of fabric reflects the look of the soft velvety petals that flowers have. 

To Close

Follow Aogiku’s social media for more of her beautiful tsumami flower ornaments. For purchases, visit her Online Shop for ready-made items. At the moment, Aogiku is not accepting orders, we look forward to her resuming. 

Photos provided courtesy of Aogiku  蒼菊 (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Linktree).