KYOTO -- Kimiko Oike, a professional maker of "mizuhiki," or decorative strings, knows she has a lot to learn from amateurs.
She heads a local mizuhiki manufacturer, turning out a wide variety of custom-made products. However, when she saw art employing mizuhiki by local university students in July 2001, she was spellbound by their originality.
Mizuhiki, literally "water drawing," involves twisting paper covered with film and other materials, and is mostly used for binding ceremonial envelopes or gifts.