Gabbeh wool carpets hand-woven by nomadic Qashqai people in Iran are taking off in Japan, apparently for their unique animal motifs and natural texture.
"The carpets have been featured in magazines and are selling like crazy," said Katsumi Okuma, 70, who imports Gabbeh carpets in Kobe.
"Gabbeh colors that are made possible by using natural plant dyes seem to suit the Japanese sensitivity," he said.