MUSUBISM Furoshiki Workshop at Japan Fest 2026 Atlanta

This fall, MUSUBISM is heading to Atlanta!

I’m happy to share that I’ll be hosting a furoshiki workshop in partnership with JETRO Atlanta at Japan Fest 2026 Atlanta, taking place on September 19 and 20.

The workshop will be held on Sunday, September 20, from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. at SYCAMORE - T7.

During the workshop, we’ll learn a traditional Japanese knot and make several different bags using a single furoshiki.

And yes, we’ll even make a backpack!

Whether you already know furoshiki or are seeing one for the first time, I hope you’ll come and enjoy making something with your own hands.

What is Japan Fest?

Japan Fest is one of the largest Japanese cultural festivals in the Atlanta area.

Over two days, visitors can experience many different aspects of Japan, from traditional culture and food to music, anime, and modern Japanese pop culture.

I’m always happy to see how much interest there is in Japanese culture, even so far from Japan.

This year, MUSUBISM is excited not only to take part in the festival, but also to help bring Japanese culture to life through furoshiki.

I hope we can make the festival even more enjoyable together.

Our Connection with JETRO

For MUSUBISM, this workshop is also connected to a relationship we have built over the years.

JETRO, the Japan External Trade Organization, is a public organization that supports Japanese businesses expanding overseas.

JETRO has supported MUSUBISM in many ways as we have worked to introduce our furoshiki to customers outside Japan.

One of the programs we participate in is Amazon JAPAN STORE.

JAPAN STORE is an initiative that helps introduce products from Japanese businesses to customers overseas through Amazon.

For a small hand-crafted Japanese brand like MUSUBISM, opportunities like this are an important part of our journey into the global market.

Until now, much of our work has been about sending our products overseas through e-commerce.

But this time, something different is happening.

Instead of simply sending a furoshiki to someone through an online order, I’ll be meeting people in person, handing them a piece of cloth, and showing them how to tie it.

I’m looking forward to that very much.

Why I Want to Share More Than Furoshiki

For me, furoshiki is more than a useful piece of cloth.

I grew up with furoshiki, but I never really thought much about it until recently.

It was simply part of everyday life in Japan.

But when I started looking into its history, I was surprised to learn that furoshiki has been part of Japanese life for more than 1,000 years.

And the more I learned, the more I started to see something deeper in this simple piece of cloth.

Something very Japanese.

Think about the way people traditionally lived with fabric in Japan.

A futon, for example.

Unlike a bed, a futon is folded up and stored in a closet when you are not using it.

Every night, you take it out, spread it on the floor, and sleep on it.

Then in the morning, you fold it up again and put it away.

Every single day.

My grandparents used to live this way.

I once asked my grandmother,

“Why do you do this every day? Isn’t it hard?”

She said,

“No. It’s a habit, so it’s not hard at all.”

And then she told me something I will never forget.

“This is how I know how I’m doing.”

If she could take out the futon, spread it, fold it, and put it away by herself, she knew she was doing well.

It was her health check.

I loved that.

I’m wearing a kimono today.

It took me almost an hour to get dressed because I wanted to look beautiful!

And I have to tell you, I need five different cords just to tie everything in place.

So I understand why people choose UNIQLO over a beautiful kimono!

Modern clothes are much easier.

You don’t need special skills to put them on.

But I find something very Japanese in these things we have gradually stopped doing in our daily lives.

Taking care of what we have.

Taking the time to use things properly.

And doing the same things again and again.

For me, furoshiki helped me see this part of Japanese life again.

The appreciation for the things we own.

Taking care of them with respect.

And finding ways to continue using what we already have.

This is one of the things I love most about furoshiki.

One piece of cloth can become a bag, a wrapping cloth, something to carry your belongings, or something completely different.

You don’t need something new for every purpose.

You have one piece of cloth, and you find a new way to use it.

For me, this is more than being eco-friendly.

It is about caring for what we already have.

And I realized there are parts of Japanese culture that even we Japanese have slowly let go of, but somehow, I still feel them in furoshiki.

This is why I started MUSUBISM.

I wanted to share furoshiki with people around the world, but also share something about Japanese culture and the way we have lived.

So when I have the opportunity to introduce furoshiki, I hope people will take home not only a piece of cloth, but also a little feeling for Japan.

One Piece of Cloth, Many Possibilities

At the workshop, we’ll start with a traditional Japanese knot called Mamusubi.

Once you learn the technique, the knot is strong and secure, but also easy to untie when you know how.

Then we’ll use the knot to make different bags from one piece of cloth.

By changing the way we tie it, the same furoshiki can become something completely different.

There is no single right shape.

You look at what you have, think about what you need, and decide what you want to make.

I hope you’ll enjoy experiencing this for yourself.

And I hope you’ll take your furoshiki home and continue using it in your everyday life.

See You at Japan Fest 2026 Atlanta!

This will be my first furoshiki workshop in Atlanta, and I’m so happy to have this opportunity to meet people there.

We’ll take one simple piece of cloth from Japan and, with our own hands, turn it into something useful.

If you’re planning to visit Japan Fest, please come and join me!

Whether you already know furoshiki or have never seen one before, you’re welcome. Let’s tie, make, and enjoy Japanese culture together.

Japan Fest is taking place on September 19–20 at the Gas South Convention Center in Duluth, Georgia. There will be food, performances, workshops, hands-on experiences, and many other ways to enjoy Japanese culture.

If you’re thinking about coming, I recommend getting your tickets in advance. Advance tickets are available through September 18 and are less expensive than tickets purchased at the door.

Get your Japan Fest 2026 tickets here →

I hope to see you in Atlanta!

Japan Fest 2026 Atlanta

September 19–20, 2026

MUSUBISM × JETRO Atlanta
Furoshiki Workshop

Sunday, September 20
10:30–11:00 a.m.
SYCAMORE - T7

See you in Atlanta!