So, you may (or may not) have noticed the design in the background of our blog. It may look like a bunch of nicely placed squares, but the design and the meaning behind them are from long ago and from a land far, far away.
It's called minsa-ori (ミンサー織り) and is a design that was typically woven into sashes in the Yaeyama archipelago, which is the southern portion of the Okinawa islands. The four and five square patterns symbolize couples to be together forever, and young girls would give these sashes to the men they were going to marry.
Its popularity has not diminished in the modern day due to its deep colors and unique, yet simple pattern. Today, the minsa-ori pattern is largely used in souvenirs around Okinawa because the design is unique to a specific part of one of Japan's smallest regions and can be found on anything from neckties to purses.
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