Clothes are wrapped to match the contents and needs.

Uchikui is a piece of cloth used in everyday life, and isn’t what people would expect to be the focus of an exhibition, but it really is, at the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum.

Wrapping clothes come in many sizes and colors.

‘Uchikui ’ means wrapping cloth, and is called ‘furoshiki ’in Japanese.  Furoshiki is a square-shaped big cloth, and people typically use it for carry things by wrapping with it something like a baggage. Okinawa uchikui is also the same square-shaped cloth, and often made of bingata.

Okinawa bingata uchikui are characterized by bright-and-colorful auspicious omens motifs.  Okinawa uchikui is not only a cloth for wrapping things but also is utilized as a mat or rag, covering things and setting things on it. In the Ryukyu Kingdom era, warrior class people used original models of uchikui, and increasingly, civilians started using uchikui as a tool for transporting things.  People since have devised many ways to wrap and carry their belongings.

Some ‘uchikui’ are made of genuine bingata.

In this exhibition, visitors can learn about a bit of Okinawa culture through uchikui culture.   The exhibition runs through Jun. 21st from 9 a.m. ~ 6 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 9 a.m. ~ 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Last entry to the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum is one-half hour before closing.  Advance admission for adults is ¥480 or ¥600 at the door.   Advance tickets for high school and college students are ¥400 or ¥500 at the door, and the price for elementary and junior high school students is ¥320 in advance or ¥400 at the door. Advance tickets are on sale at FamilyMart e-plus

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