Noren -月の満ち欠け- Japanese curtain

Depicting the phases of the moon through Roketsuzome (wax-resist dyeing), this noren weaves nature’s rhythms into cloth. Japan’s bond with the moon runs deep: since antiquity, its waxing and waning have guided agricultural and fishing schedules by marking tidal cycles and other natural patterns. In religion, Shintō venerates the moon deity Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, while Buddhism sees the full moon as a symbol of enlightenment. Each year, the Mid-Autumn Festival brings tsukimi—moon-viewing gatherings that celebrate the moon’s beauty and pray for an abundant harvest. In literature, the moon is a cherished motif in waka and haiku, evoking emotion and seasonality, and it appears frequently in ukiyo-e prints by masters such as Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige. As a symbol of harmony with nature and aesthetic refinement, the moon remains indispensable to Japanese culture.