The Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taichung City Government presents Woven Traditions: The Taiwan–Japan Rush Grass Culture Exhibition (Chinese title: 午蓆．好天氣) at the Museum of Fiber Arts, Taichung. The subtle fragrance of rush grass evokes memories of Taichung’s coastal communities, where rush weaving once thrived. Both Taiwan and Japan have long been key centers of this craft in Asia, sharing a rich history of artistry and daily life. The exhibition traces the evolution of rush weaving from practical household items to contemporary art and design.

Co-curated by Assistant Professor Lu Chia-Hui of Tainan National University of the Arts and Professor Emeritus Kumiko Namba of Okayama Prefectural University, the exhibition highlights a cross-cultural dialogue between Taiwan and Japan. It features collections from Taiwan alongside rare loans from Japan, including the Kurashiki Isozaki Nemumei Memorial Museum, the Kurashiki Folkcraft Museum, and the Hayashima Municipal Museum. Visitors explore five thematic sections — The Vitality of Craft (工藝之生), The Splendor of Craft (工藝之華), The Essence of Craft (工藝之萃), The Realm of Craft (工藝之境), and The Innovation of Craft (工藝之新) — each revealing how rush weaving connects nature, community, and creativity.

Exhibition highlights showcase both Japanese and Taiwanese rush weaving traditions. From Japan, visitors can see a digital hanging scroll of Kinwan’en, recognized as an Important Cultural Property, alongside authentic Hana-mats and Kinwan’en works from museum collections and master artisan Takataka Sunami. Restored experimental sample pieces reveal classic Edo-to-Meiji period patterns, including “Peony and Chinese Lion,” “Mount Fuji,” and “Checkerboard.”

From Taiwan, the exhibition features the iconic Dragon-Phoenix Mat from Dajia and finely patterned rush mats with motifs such as “Mandarin Ducks” and “Tortoise Shell.” Early export Hana-mats and handbags from the Jianxin Mat Factory, crafted by the family of Living National Treasure Chang Hsien-ping, highlight the country’s historical connections with Japan while showcasing the unique character of Taiwan’s rush weaving industry.

The Realm of Craft section presents eight contemporary artists from Taiwan and Japan, who transform rush grass into innovative fiber artworks, giving this traditional material fresh artistic vocabularies and narrative possibilities. In the Innovation of Craft section, the Department of Material Arts and Design at Tainan National University of the Arts showcases digitally revived colorful rush mats from the Jianxin Mat Factory. By combining fabric analysis with computer-assisted weaving, these works reinterpret historical patterns with a sustainable design approach, embodying the philosophy that “the old becomes new.”

Woven Traditions: The Taiwan–Japan Rush Grass Culture Exhibition runs through February 22, 2026, at the Museum of Fiber Arts, Taichung. The exhibition is complemented by monthly rush weaving workshops, lectures, and exchange programs. For more information, please visit the Museum’s website((https://mofia.taichung.gov.tw/) or Facebook page（https://www.facebook.com/mofiataichung/）.