One of Japan’s most beloved folktales is “The Tale of the Bamboo-Cutter”, which centers on a magical baby found in the center of a bamboo stalk. The baby brings fortune to the bamboo-cutter and his wife who raise her as their own. This story perfectly shows how bamboo is seen in Japanese culture: a vessel for almost miraculous bounty.
Japanese people have used bamboo for many different purposes. Bamboo is evergreen remaining green even in winter. People therefore associated bamboo with a sense of permanence and came to regard it as a sacred plant. Because of this, bamboo is used for decorations at annual festivals and ceremonial rituals. The most familiar example is the kadomatsu (gate pine). The kadomatsu is a New Year’s decoration made mostly of bamboo and pine, another evergreen tree, that is placed at the gates and entrances of homes and other buildings at this time of year. It is displayed to guide the deities who are said to visit each home on the first day of the new year.
The Sacred Bamboo 925 Sterling Silver Bracelet is handmade of pure 925 Sterling Silver. The bracelet is adjustable for wrists from 6.69" (17cm) to 9.45" (24cm) circumference.
