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OKEIKO 44
This is an explanation of one of the most popular "go-shūgi-mono", "OIMATSU". "Oimatsu" means a pine tree that has been around for a long time. Pine trees are an essential part of the Japanese landscape, and are also considered to be auspicious because they are evergreen and never change their color. In Japan, there are many famous places where beautiful pine trees can be seen, and there is also a culture of admiring their shapes as garden trees or bonsai. We have already featured “Matsu no midori” in this OKEIKO series, but pine trees are used as a theme in many Nihonbuyo pieces. Since the pine tree is not only well-known to the Japanese, but also a sublime tree, they weave fantastic stories about it.
(Mitsuko T. Sakurai)