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''Neko chigura'' (''nekochigura'') or ''Neko tsugura'' (''nekotsugura'') is a kind of
Sekikawa-mura Nekochigura: Official Site
Cat equipment Japanese bamboowork Buildings and structures used to confine animals Straw objects
''Neko chigura'' (''nekochigura'') or ''Neko tsugura'' (''nekotsugura'') is a kind of cat
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
house made of straw
Straw is an agricultural byproduct consisting of the dry stalks of cereal plants after the grain and chaff have been removed. It makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has a number ...
in Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. It is a folk craft of Sekikawa-mura, Niigata-ken, or Akiyamago (the area of Tsunan-machi, Niigata-ken and Sakae-mura, Nagano-ken
is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,052,493 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the ...
). It is called "Nekochigura" in Sekikawa, and "Nekotsugura" in Akiyamago ( ja).
''Chigura'' or ''tsugura'' is written as " 稚座" in kanji
are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...
, and means bassinet
A bassinet, bassinette, or cradle is a bed specifically for babies from birth to about four months. Bassinets are generally designed to work with fixed legs or caster wheels, while cradles are generally designed to provide a rocking or gliding ...
in the Niigata dialect
The term dialect (from Latin , , from the Ancient Greek word , 'discourse', from , 'through' and , 'I speak') can refer to either of two distinctly different types of Linguistics, linguistic phenomena:
One usage refers to a variety (linguisti ...
where there is the custom to use rice straw
Straw is an agricultural byproduct consisting of the dry stalks of cereal plants after the grain and chaff have been removed. It makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has a number ...
baskets for babies. Niigata constitutes, in fact, a rice granary and the basket
A basket is a container that is traditionally constructed from stiff fibers and can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horsehai ...
industry is a side business in the winter season when the prefecture becomes snowbound.
Presently, ''chigura'' for cats vary in shape according to the originality of the producer. There are two common types: Pillbox Pillbox may refer to:
* Pill organizer, a container for medicine
* Pillbox hat, a woman's hat with a flat crown, straight upright sides, and no brim
* Pillbox (military), concrete dug-in guard posts
* Pillbox affair
The Pillbox affair, also known ...
type and pot-shaped type; there are also some basket
A basket is a container that is traditionally constructed from stiff fibers and can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horsehai ...
types. As cats seem to prefer small enclosed spaces, they like ''neko chigura'' to sleep in.
See also
* Cat café#Japan *Culture of Japan
The culture of Japan has changed greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric Jōmon period, to its contemporary modern culture, which absorbs influences from Asia and other regions of the world.
Historical overview
The ance ...
* Japanese handicrafts
Traditional in Japan have a long tradition and history. Included in the category of traditional crafts are handicrafts produced by an individual or a group, as well as work produced by independent studio artists working with traditional craft m ...
Notes
{{ReflistExternal links
Sekikawa-mura Nekochigura: Official Site
Cat equipment Japanese bamboowork Buildings and structures used to confine animals Straw objects