Beautiful Japanese Traditions: Poti-Bukuro. - Hiroko Kido

KIDO, Hiroko.
Beautiful Japanese Traditions: Poti-Bukuro.
4to. Silk and cloth boards in illustrated slipcase. Profusely illustrated in colour. Japanese and English text. Tokyo: Super Edition, 1992.

Poti-Bukuro is a small paper bag or envelope used in Japan for wrapping presents or gifting money to children at New Year. Poti-Bukuro designs represent an important part of Japanese printing culture that began in Meiji era Japan (1868-) and were originally printed with woodblocks. This packaging culture also advances the idea of collecting since the designs made the object too beautiful to be thrown away.

This publication groups Poti-Bukuro by popular themes such as kabuki characters and popular natural scenes. The book also shows an intentionally inconspicuous element to the Poti-Bukuro tradition such as a series depicting nudes.