Musubi Ukiyo-e Furoshiki – Cats Juggling Balls – Cream

A small Japanese furoshiki featuring one ofUtagawa Kuniyoshi’s playful cat illustrations, printed on a soft cream background.

Kuniyoshi (1797–1861), one of the great masters of Japanese ukiyo-e, was particularly fond of cats and often portrayed them behaving like people. InCats Juggling Balls, the cats performkyoku-temari, a traditional Japanese juggling act usingtemari balls. The scene was inspired by the popular Edo-period performer Kikukawa Kunimaru and includes different juggling techniques, with cats balancing balls on their bodies or kicking them while crossing a row of stakes.

Humorous and full of movement, the design is a wonderful example of Kuniyoshi’s ability to transform an everyday popular entertainment into an imaginative ukiyo-e scene.

How to use

At48 × 48 cm, this compact furoshiki is particularly practical for wrapping abento or lunch box, a small gift, books or other everyday objects. It can also be tied into a small carrying cloth or simply used as a decorative textile.

Unlike disposable gift wrapping, a furoshiki can be folded, reused and passed on with the gift.

Why we love it at Nomado Store

We have a particular weakness for Japanese illustrations where cats seem to live lives remarkably similar to our own. Kuniyoshi’s cats are especially irresistible: expressive, slightly mischievous and completely absorbed in what they are doing. Here, turning a traditional juggling performance into a scene performed entirely by cats makes the design both historically interesting and wonderfully playful.

Recommended accessory: see our Furoshiki handles (leather , polypropylene or wood) (makes it much easier to use as a bag).