Kunisaki Shichitoui Omote, one of Japan's traditional specialty products, is a proprietary type of reed mat made from the shichitoi plant (a plant of Southeast Asian origin in the Cyperaceae family) grown in the cities of Kunisaki and Kizuki, Oita Prefecture. It has a natural texture that is more than twice as resistant to sweat as conventional reed mats and five to six times stronger. This durability has made it a popular flooring choice for judo tatami, artisan studios, and theaters since ancient times.

History

Shichitoi cultivation and processing is thought to have been practiced in Ryukyu (Okinawa Prefecture) and the Satsuma Clan (Kagoshima Prefecture) even before the Edo period (1600-1868). It reached Oita Prefecture in 1660 and quickly spread around Beppu Bay. Although production reached high levels nationwide following World War II, the number of producers decreased rapidly due to the region's industrialization policies in later periods, and the production area was nearly wiped out. Under these conditions, a tatami company in Oita Prefecture began operations in 2009 to prevent the extinction of shichitoi production. The following year, the Kunisaki Shichitoi Promotion Association was established with the participation of many collaborators. Through this association's efforts, the number of new farmers increased, and efforts were initiated to restore production areas.

^{About Kunisaki Shichitoui Omote (地理的表示産品情報発信サイト)}

Production Area and Conditions

The cultivation of the shichitoi plant used in the production of Kunisaki Shichitoui Omote is limited to the Kunisaki City and Kitsuki City of Oita Prefecture. This region offers ideal conditions for growing shichitoi. While shichitoi thrives in subtropical climates, it is vulnerable to low temperatures, and freezing soil in winter can damage the rhizomes. To prevent disease, the plant must be kept dry after planting. The Kunisaki Peninsula is suitable for this plant because of its long hours of sunshine, relatively low rainfall, and a climate where winter frost is rare.