Kukurizaru tied-up monkey

くくり猿 Kukurizaru Tied-up Monkey Charm

Tied-up monkey amulet, kukurizaru, made from tiny leftover fabrics.

I put it with my wallet's fastner.

Originally , Itomaki thread spindle charm was there, but the threads came off and became messy.

Oshima Tsumugi Kimono fabric flat pouch

May this little monkey keep my wallet safe from my shopping impulses ;-)

くくり猿のお守りチャームを付けた。

もともとは糸巻きのチャームがついていたんだけど、糸がほどけてボロボロになってしまったので。

このくくり猿守りが私の物欲をほどほどにコントロールして無駄遣いが減ります様に・・・☆

About Kukurizaru – the Tied-Up Monkey Charm

I make small Kukurizaru charms using tiny leftover fabrics. "Kukuri" means tied up, and "zaru" is a playful way of saying saru, or monkey.

This kind of charm comes from the western parts of Japan, like Kyoto or Gifu. Traditionally, people tie the monkey’s four legs together to keep it from moving freely — a symbolic way to reflect on our own uncontrolled desires.

By offering this tied-up monkey to a Kōshin-zuka (a small shrine or mound dedicated to folk beliefs), people would pray:“May I not be ruled by my greed. May I live more mindfully.”

There's also a lovely wordplay here. The word "saru" (monkey) sounds the same as "saru" (to leave or go away) in Japanese.So, we also hope this charm will help keep evil and misfortune away from us.

Nat