The wrapping ceremony

In Paris Fumihiko Sano completed a space to host the Japanese wrapping ceremony creating a mystical atmosphere through the use of wood and stone.

The Miwa shop, designed by Fumihiko Sano’s studio Phenomenon, offers special wrapping styles by manipulating origata in Paris.

Origata is the approach showing senders’ hearts through their gifts. It has been developed since Muromachi era (around 1330s to around 1500s); moreover, almost two thousands of varieties of styles were established at the end of Edo era (around 1860s.).

To introduce traditional Japanese culture, Sano chose to utilize Japanese cypress from Ise Jingu, which is the most lordly shrine in Japan, all over the wall of this shop since it is considered as the most intimate material with origata. Shintoism is the binder between origata and Japanese cypress. Origata was originally derived from Shinto rites. They wrapped up the offerings in a special way when they presented their offerings to the god, and that was the beginning of origata.

On the floor, the slate stone from Ogata district – where the horrible earthquake hit on March 11, 2011 – was applied. Even if the earthquake made the slate stone scraps, the architects choose to breathe new life into them.