English script is below.

第5回目となる今回は、日本文化における“麻（ヘンプ）”の神聖な意味、そして空間におけるその力についてお話しします。

これからの空間づくりにおいて、大きなヒントになれば嬉しいです。

[English script ]

Bringing Sacred Materials into Space — The Meaning of Hemp in Japanese Culture

Hello, this is Hiromi Kim.
In this program, I share stories about art, materials, and space from the perspective of design and culture.

Today's theme is:
“Bringing Sacred Materials into Space — The Meaning of Hemp in Japanese Culture.”

In my work, hemp—asa—is a core material.
While I value its environmental sustainability, my choice to work with hemp is also deeply rooted in its sacred significance in Japanese culture.

Take the Ise Grand Shrine, for example—one of the central places of Shinto, Japan’s indigenous spirituality.
At Ise, hemp is used in almost all essential ceremonial tools: the cloths that wrap the sacred objects, shimenawa (sacred ropes), and mihobari (sacred curtains).
In these rituals, hemp is known as ōnusa—literally “great hemp”—because it has long been believed to purify spaces and drive away negative energy.

Hemp fabric fluttering in the wind was thought to move unseen energies—what we call ki—and harmonize the atmosphere of a space.

Let me read you a passage from the official website of Ise Jingu:

The sacred talisman of Ise Shrine is called “Jingū Taima” (Grand Shrine Hemp Talisman). “Taima” is another way of reading “ōnusa,” and refers to a ritual implement used in purification. In ancient times, these talismans were distributed by Ise priests known as “onshi,” and with the will of Emperor Meiji, they began to be distributed nationwide so that people across Japan could pay their respects to the Grand Shrine morning and evening.

As you can see, hemp was never just a material—it was a spiritual device for tuning the atmosphere and flow of energy in a space.

In my own creative process, I see hemp not merely as a material, but as a resonant body.
The fibers respond to air, allow light to pass through, and naturally shape themselves under the influence of gravity.
It’s as if the hemp makes the invisible “breathing” of the space visible.

Even today, these unique qualities of hemp are being applied in various types of spaces.
For example, in one private home, hemp is used as a partition between the living room and a traditional Japanese tatami room.
At the entrance of a small shop, a hemp curtain (noren) serves both as a gentle threshold and a spiritual ward against bad luck.
When I install my hemp works in homes or galleries, I often feel that the atmosphere of the space shifts.
There’s a noticeable change—as if the space becomes quieter, more transparent.

I believe this is due to the inherent power of the material—
a quiet sacredness, passed down through generations, that still resonates with our modern senses on some deeper, perhaps unconscious, level.

We don’t experience space only with our eyes—we perceive it through our skin, and through the energy it gives off.
That’s why the materials we choose for our spaces shouldn’t be just decorative elements,
but rather presences that harmonize the flow of energy.

Hemp truly has that capacity.
It is a fiber of memory that connects the past and the future—
a breathing material that holds both sacredness and warmth.
And it’s my hope to continue bringing this material into the spaces we live in.

How was today’s episode?
I spoke about “Bringing Sacred Materials into Space — The Meaning of Hemp in Japanese Culture.”
I hope this episode offers insights for those involved in spatial design, art, or anyone seeking new possibilities.
If you enjoyed it, I’d be grateful if you subscribe or follow the channel.

Thank you for listening until the end.
This was Hiromi.