Protected local food
Kunisaki Shichitoi Omote
くにさき七島藺表
Tough, rustic tatami facing woven from shichitoi, a subtropical sedge grown on the Kunisaki Peninsula in Oita for about 350 years.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 7 December 2016
- Region
- Kyushu & Okinawa
- Official name in Japanese
- くにさき七島藺表
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 大分県国東市、大分県杵築市
A tougher tatami
Shichitoi is a subtropical sedge with a triangular stem. On the Kunisaki Peninsula it is woven the same way as mushiro straw mats. The result is stronger than ordinary rush tatami and has a natural, rustic look that is especially popular in the Tokyo area.
350 years on the peninsula
Farmers began growing shichitoi in Kunisaki and Kitsuki in Oita about 350 years ago, encouraged by the local domains. It was an important industry until the mid-Showa era, then nearly died out.
Kept alive by a community
Today a promotion society of growers, tatami makers, wholesalers, local government and residents, including newcomers who moved to the area, trains new growers and keeps the craft going.
Good to know
- The Kunisaki Peninsula is known for its rock-carved Buddhas and old mountain temples such as Futago-ji.
- Kitsuki is a castle town with samurai houses on two hills, and you can rent a kimono to walk its slopes.
Questions travellers ask
How is it different from normal tatami?
It is woven from shichitoi instead of igusa, so it is tougher, coarser and more rustic.
Is this a food?
No. It is one of the non-food products in Japan's GI register.
Where it comes from
Crafts from the same area
Heritage stories from the same area
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.