☆ The leaves turn white in winter. Naturally dried leaves of Japanese ma-komo (Zizania latifolia) that grow wild in Kani City, Gifu Prefecture, without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. We create shimenawa (sacred straw ropes) using ma-komo, tie them with seima (purified hemp fiber), and use artificial nanten (Japanese sacred bamboo), sakaki (Cleyera japonica), and ferns. Use it throughout the year, not just as a New Year's shimenawa, but also for your entrance, room, or car. Originally, shimenawa means "boundary," a marker indicating that the area beyond is a sacred place. Since ma-komo has the meaning of a boundary and purification, we recommend it as a charm for warding off evil and purification. Due to the nature of ma-komo, the lengths are uneven and prone to breakage, so the finished product is not of high quality. The value lies in using ma-komo, which has been familiar to and revered by Japanese people since ancient times. Ma-komo has excellent purifying properties, and it is said that simply placing it in a room can calm your mind and help you relax. Width: 13 cm, Height: 30 cm ~What is Ma-komo?~ It is said that when there were no plants on Earth, Susanoo first planted ma-komo on the ground. Therefore, ma-komo is used for the shimenawa of shrines across Japan that enshrine Susanoo, including Izumo Taisha. The shimenawa of Ise Jingu Shrine uses "asa" (hemp). Also, there is a Buddhist story that says that the Buddha treated a sick person by having them lie on a rush mat woven from ma-komo. Because of this, it is said that "bon goza" (rush mats) and "bon fune" (rush boats) woven from ma-komo are offered during the Obon festival. It has a deep connection with the Japanese people since ancient times and is treated as a sacred grass and a spiritual grass.