Caya brand shawls (Choi Chae-soo)
Although “kaya” mosquito nets have fallen by the wayside in recent years, the material may be staging a comeback as a fashion item.
In the past, people escaped pesky mosquitoes by hiding behind a mosquito net while cooling down with an “uchiwa” handheld fan. Such a scene is rare these days, except in films and anime.
However, the Caya brand has put a modern twist on the netting, transforming it into stylish, hemp shawls in a variety of colors.
Although the material is stiff at first, it softens with wear and becomes better-fitting.
The hemp allows air to pass easily through the shawls, making them comfortable and cool.
Thanks to the brand’s fresh ideas, the traditional craft seems to have found new purpose, possibly for generations to come.
The pale green shawl, at left, is priced at 2,376 yen ($21.65). The pale blue one costs 1,620 yen.
The shawls are also available at Nara Mahoroba-kan at the following address:
Nihonbashi Muromachi 162 Bldg., 1st and 2nd floor, 1-6-2 Nihonbashi-Muromachi, Chuo Ward, Tokyo.
Open 7 days a week, 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Dec. 31 to Jan. 3.
Visit the official website at (http://www.mahoroba-kan.jp/index.html).
(This article was written by Choi Chae-soo, head of The Asahi Shimbun Korean digital division.)
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