Handcrafted rugs, one of the important symbols of traditional Turkish culture, made their debut in Japan. Japanese collector Yoichi Oda presented the rugs he has collected from all corners of Türkiye for years to the taste of enthusiasts at the exhibition he opened at the Tokyo Yunus Emre Institute on November 5, 2022.

ROOT DYED CARPETS GET MORE BEAUTIFUL WITH AGE

Stating that he chose his favorite works for the exhibition, which were painted with the root dye technique that makes the rugs become more beautiful as they age, Oda said that his love for Türkiye started with his first visit to the country in 1981.

Pointing to the map in his hand and saying, "The places marked in red are the places where I stayed, and the places marked in blue are the places where I saw important historical artifacts," Oda said that he started collecting Turkish rugs in the early 1990s, which became his curiosity over time. Oda said, "At one time, I had more than 400 rugs, now I have around 300 rugs," adding that the financial value of the most expensive rug is about 15 thousand dollars.

"I CAME TO SEE IT UP CLOSE"

Mamiko Ikuta, who came to visit the exhibition, stated that it was the first time she saw handcrafted Turkish rugs up close and said, "It was quite interesting since there is nothing similar in Japan. The motifs and colors are wonderful." Kaoru Miyasaka, who is interested in Turkish rugs, said that when she heard that the exhibited works were made with root paint, she wanted to see them closely and said, "I was surprised and impressed by the traditional motifs that make you feel the history and culture."