Do you know what the motif of this “objet” is?

What do you think this is?　It's actually a mailbox in front of the local railway station. This mailbox was made to promote the Japanese traditional crafts.

Then, what is the traditional crafts?  The answer is the Japanese traditional handball put in a spherical glass bottle. This Japanese traditional handball is not a rubber ball such as sports goods, but an elaborate decoration embroidered like a work of art.

First of all, this is a typical Japanese tradional handball. Its history is said to date back to the 16th century. This ball has a core made from some kind of cotton and is embroidered in a geometric pattern with colorful threads.

The introduction has become quite long, but this is the current topics, Japanese traditional handball put in a spherical glass bottle. It resembles a ship in a bottle, but a way of making is throughly different. You may be wondering how to put a large handball into a glass bottle, but I'm sorry I'll keep that to myself.

Then, what is the purpose of this craft?　

Because of its round shape and its clear view of the inside, in Japan it is considered to be suitable for a housewarming gift or a wedding gift as a good luck charm that is representing a harmonious family and good relations.

In fact, a friend of mine said that her son received this craft as a wedding gift.

Local municipal library and local railway station have small museums displaying these crafts.

I took those pictures at the Echigawa Station of Ohmi railway and also the Aisho town municipal library. Both are located in Aisho Town, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.