Is Kaishi the world oldest paper towel?
Kaishi, small Japan papers folded in half, used in Japanese tea ceremony, is handy stuff and easy to carry inside a kimono. It was used as a paper towel as well as napkin, paper tray, and note pad to write poems. It would be an expensive paper towel, but I think it was fashionable to have Kaishi for Samurai and Chajin back in those days, just like modern day people want to have the latest PDA.
A paper towel used be called a "Kitchen Towel" in Japan. A roll of paper towels by the sink is as familiar sight as a coffee maker or micro-wave in our modern kitchen in any city in the world today. I wonder what would happen if everyone started using cloth towels. It could increase water consumption, but it may save more than a few trees.
Once people found an easier way, it's hard to go back to the old way. Then again, if the price of paper shoots up like gasoline price did, a paper towel could be a thing of the past. So there goes toilet paper too, today's Japanese style wash-let and hot-air dry toilet may really be the answer.
How about Christmas Trees and Chopsticks, can we quit using them to save our environment or just make them from plastics.
1 comment:
How do you do?
I really enjoy your blog.
Yes, Kaish is so useful. We often use it to rap money when suddenly put in a situation where we have to hand money to someone, though we don't have anything to put it in. As you know, it is considered to be quite impolite to hand out money without putting it in the envelope in Japan. It is called "bare money".
I am a Japanese woman leaning and teaching Chado.
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