Japanese Noren - Fugu Fish

Japanese cotton noren with a fugu fish design, 85 x 90 cm, made in Japan

In Shimonoseki, the Japanese city of fugu, the name of this fish is pronounced ‘fuku’, like the word for happiness, and it has long been regarded there as a symbol of good luck. The design here is in the rōketsu-zome style, a Japanese hot-wax dyeing technique whose crackled finish creates irregular outlines, as if drawn by hand. The fabric is semi-opaque, which is handy at home for concealing a kitchen door, an open cupboard or a storage shelf. At 90 cm high, this short design marks the passage between two rooms without ever blocking it off.