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Apartment and interior
Noren
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Noren
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Noren are traditional Japanese fabric dividers, hung between rooms, on walls, in doorways, or in windows. But in life of Japanese noren has much greater value than simply the curtain. Firstly, noren expresses a greeting, meaning "welcome". Secondly, it is a symbol of the company, its arms. There is even an expression "to protect noren" with reference to company's reputation. Recently noren began to hang up in usual houses, replacing with curtains. Quite often noren is used in interior as a tapestry material.
History
The first mentions about noren dated from Nara period (710-778). During Heian (794-1192) one could see noren in Kyoto in many trading organizations: sellers put on the fabric name or symbolic of company or just images of the goods. In one of the largest monuments of the Japanese classics, novel "Genji monogatari" ("The Story about prince Genji") there are many illustrations presence of curtains that testifies to noren penetration in Japanese life. Passing through time, a piece of material absorbed traditions, history, and features of different areas of the country. Now noren stays rather popular not only as specimen of original Japanese culture, but also as multipurpose interior detail.
Fabric
The cotton by virtue of the advantages became the basic fabric for noren. The clap can be grown up the year round, it is easily erased, and the most important is inexpensive. Sometimes noren is made of flax.
In some Japanese areas it is widespread so-called "bride's noren" which is part of portion. It is sewed from silk and decorated with family arms and patterns. This noren expresses pleasure and wishes of happiness.
In trading environment noren is an attribute of solidity. Japanese companies which have noren, especially with long-term history, are held in high respect.
On holidays family noren is often hung out as an element of decor.
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