Without this calendar, your room would be less attractive!

Every autumn, I give something as a gift to my parents’ house. It is a wall-hanging type of Haibara Chiyogami Calendar.
My mother declares, “Each month’s design brings the season to our house,” and “Without this calendar, the living room would lose gorgeousness at once! My mother assures me that the calendar brings the seasons into our home. True to her words, the Haibara chiyogami calendar has deep-rooted fans all over Japan. Even though there is an extensive calendar stock, it is said to sell out quickly.

Indeed, the calendar looks like something special. There must be a reason why so many people love it so much.
So, I looked into the charm of the Haibara Chiyogami Calendar, interviewing the Haibara staff.

Designs selected from the “Haibara Chiyogami Artbook” handed down from the Meiji period (1868-1912).

According to a Haibara staff, “Not only the cover but also the pattern used each month is based on a seasonal chiyogami design with a different theme each year.”
Yes, the first charm of the Haibara Chiyogami Calendar is its seasonal chiyogami designs. It will bring a touch of color and beauty to your life throughout the year.

The chiyogami designs are selected from the “Haibara Chiyogami Artbook,” handed down in Haibara since the Meiji period. They are arranged to suit modern lifestyles.

The theme for the cover of the 2023 calendar is “Shikunshi (four wise men).”
Shikunshi refers to a collection of the “plum, chrysanthemum, orchid, and bamboo” plants depicted as subjects in Oriental paintings since ancient times. Each plant has the following meaning.

[Plum] Endures the cold and emits a fragrance ahead of many flowers

[Chrysanthemum] Possess spiritual powers that ward off evil spirits and aid longevity

[Orchid] Secretly scented in deep mountain valleys

[Bamboo] Withstands cold wind and grows fresh and straight

I see that it came to be called “Shinkunshi” because each has the nature of a noble prince.

I asked the staff about the meaning of the composition arranged on the cover.
The overall composition is likened to a ‘Tatewakumon’ pattern in which bulging and narrowing appear alternately in a series of wavy curves. Modeling the traditional design with bamboo leaves, we take in the supple beauty of nature and sublimate it into a unique form that is merely found anywhere else.

Also, they talked about their passion for color and design.
The design is a gorgeous and auspicious one, with a variety of bright colors and motifs of the Shikunshi in the Tatewakumon pattern, and even a single chrysanthemum is made into a pattern full of chrysanthemums, such as a double chrysanthemum, a single chrysanthemum, and chrysanthemums in the Korin pattern.”

While incorporating traditional patterns and designs, the designs are arranged to suit modern rooms. I recommend them for Western-style rooms as well as Japanese-style rooms. It is a timeless design that fits elegantly in any room.

You can enjoy the desktop type anywhere.

The second appeal of the Haibara Chiyogami Calendar is that while it is a beautiful work of art, it also fulfills its role as a calendar.

Despite its chiyogami design, the calendar is made of high-quality Western paper that is easy to write on with any writing tool.
The calendar has a good space for each date, making it easy to write in and see.

In addition to the wall-hanging type, the Haibara Chiyogami Calendar is also available in a desktop type for compact use.

The size of the desktop type is approximately 150 mm (including the mount) x 180 mm. You can place it anywhere, such as on a desk in a study or an entrance hallway.
According to the staff, “Recently, many people purchase the wall-hanging and desktop types as a set.”

A friend of mine buys the wall-hanging type for herself and sends the table-top type as a gift to an acquaintance living abroad.
She spends her days sharing the same seasons and patterns through the calendars with her loved people. One of the charms of the Chiyogami Calendar is that you can enjoy it this way.

Now that we spend more time at home, why don’t we take the time to enjoy our daily life with the beautiful chiyogami of each of the four seasons?