Rice straw grown in the Nagano region and carefully hand-braided by the artisans of Waramu. This good-luck ornament is inspired by the agemaki knot, one of Japan’s most iconic decorative knots, passed down since antiquity and valued for its simplicity and balanced form. The small version can easily be attached to a bag or key ring.

A shimenawa is a sacred rope marking a place where a deity is believed to have descended. Wherever it is displayed, impure or harmful spirits are thought to be kept away; it therefore also serves as a form of protection and talisman. Hanging a shimenawa at the entrance of one’s home for the New Year signals the intention to welcome the deity of the coming year.

Waramu is a collective of artisans specializing in rice-straw craft, based in Iijima, Nagano Prefecture. Originally founded as a non-profit association dedicated to preserving the traditional making of rice-straw bales, the collective has since grown into a social enterprise. Their activities include restoring abandoned rice fields, repurposing agricultural waste, running workshops with schoolchildren, and supporting vulnerable young adults.