| KYOTO, Nov. 24 – Kazuhiro Nishiwaki, a 57-year-old tatami mattress artisan based in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, makes tatami-based instruments to introduce the charm of the traditional Japanese isuga rush mattresses to the world. So far, he has made more than 120 tatami-based musical instruments, such as guitars and drums. Also, he plays the tatami guitar and sings in a band with peer musicians all over Japan.
The instruments are made from recycled materials such as isuga mat pieces left from the tatami mat making. He also formed a tatami promotional band named Nihon Tatami Gakki Seizo, which means “Japan tatami instruments manufacturer” in Japanese. The band has been around for 14 years, with Nishiwaki being one of the leading guitar players and singers. Musicians who joined the band from Japan and abroad to support the tatami promotion now totals approximately 350. As the band has no fixed playing members, different musicians will come to and play at each event. Nishiwaki got on stage more than 300 times. “We’ve been able to continue thanks to the hard work of igusa rush grass growers all over Japan,” Nishiwaki said.
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