What is Kanzashi

Kanzashi is a traditional Japanese accessories when fix their hair. Especially during the Edo period was made lot of different type of Kanzashi.

The material of Kanzashi is lacquer wood (light yellow wood, paulownia wood, magnolia wood and cherry wood), metals, ivory, coral, agate, crystals, etc. The mere material which we could find was made by born of crane. The way to use and decoration are ruled with several ways. For example, Maiko (Geisha) shows their position with the way to use.

Craftsmen made many types of Kanzashi, depends on the period and popular hair style. The standard variation are depends on the season, events and customs. I.e. every Maiko use the Kanzashi which is prepared for one day of the month or once a year.
The Kanzashi of Maiko will be bigger if she has higher rank in their industry. The first year Maiko use Kanzashi which has hanging down parts from Kanzashi and the parts of the flower are small. These are just a example of Maiko. There are more and more rules even for popular people.

Kanzashi and Earpick

Maybe you’ll feel we are kidding but a Kanzashi, normally has ear pick at the same time. This is not for fortune something or amulet meaning. The ear pick is there to use it. It seems like during the Edo period, arranged to add ear pick to a Kanzashi. We can find this information in an old record of a retailer. Edo period a regulation of initiated luxury was officially announced by Shogunate several times. Kanzashi could be a Luxury item at that time. Perhaps it related with why an ear pick is on Kanzashi.