People in a northeastern Japanese town were taught how to make traditional rice straw ropes called "shimenawa" in preparation for the new year. More than 10 people, from elementary school age to ...

01:11 The shrine's iconic feature is its enormous "shimenawa," which is 13 meters long and weighs five tons. 01:21 It's comprised of rice straw, and hand-made. 01:29 "Shimenawa" are sacred ropes ...

For Tokyo-based artist ARKO, rice straw finds a contemporary application in elegant wall hangings. “I started thinking that ...