[Sales for 2025 have ended]

This item was available only for pre-orders accepted in October 2025,
and sales have now been completed.
There are no plans for restocking or regular sales,
either in our physical store or through our online shop.

We look forward to your orders again next year (2026).

This Shimekazari is called “HONU,” modeled after a sea turtle.

Turtles are generally divided into two kinds—sea turtles and land turtles.
Long ago, it is said that among those that once lived on land,
the ones that ventured into the ocean came to be known as sea turtles.

Sea turtles, which live in the ocean, have evolved to move smoothly through the water.

Their shells became thinner and more streamlined to reduce resistance,
and their legs transformed into flippers, allowing them to swim swiftly across the open sea.

In Hawaii, one of their natural habitats, the word for sea turtle is Honu.
There, it is considered a sacred creature—a guardian of the sea that brings good fortune.

A Shimekazari is a traditional New Year’s ornament made of rice straw, displayed indoors or outdoors to welcome the Toshigami deity at the start of the year.

The Shimekazari introduced here is made locally in southern Nagano, using rice straw harvested in the area.

The makers are involved in every step, from cultivating and harvesting the rice straw to crafting each Shimekazari by hand.

The rice straw is harvested early, before the grains ripen, during the hot summer months of July and August.

This Shimekazari is made with the same high-quality rice straw used for constructing sumo wrestling rings.
The fresh green straw is carefully twisted and braided by hand.

It almost seems ready to flap its front flippers and start moving with lively energy.
You can imagine this little sea turtle growing strong and setting out on a long journey, carried by the ocean’s gentle currents.

You can hang it by your entrance or place it on a sideboard or windowsill in your living room.
It’s also lovely to keep on display throughout the year, long after the New Year season has passed.

Sea turtles inhabit a wide range of waters, and many legends about them exist around the world.

In Japan, sea turtles are often associated with an ancient folktale of a man who is guided by a turtle to an undersea palace
—a story that connects the creature with the divine realm.
Because of this, the sea turtle has long been regarded as a messenger between the human world and the gods.

In Hawaii, there is a legend that the sea turtle (HONU) once protected children and surfers from sharks.
Because of this, it is believed to be a guardian spirit that keeps people safe from dangers and disasters of the sea.

To keep your Shimekazari in good condition,
please open the package promptly upon arrival and do not leave it stored inside the cardboard box.

If you are not going to display it right away, store it indoors in a cool place away from direct sunlight.

After use, it may be taken to a Shinto shrine for disposal, or treated as burnable household waste.
If disposing as waste, please be sure to follow your local municipality’s guidelines.

When you picture a sea turtle gliding gently through clear blue waters,
a sense of calm naturally fills your heart.

It’s hard not to wish for peaceful days like that to continue on and on.

Whether in calm seas where the wind rests and the waves are still,
or in stormy waters stirred by the wind,
may the coming year be one in which we, like the sea turtle, move forward with strength and steadiness.

＊＊Please read the following carefully and place your reservation only after understanding and agreeing＊＊

Shimekazari reserved through this page will be shipped in order from mid-November.

Please note that, except in the case of defective items,
Shimekazari cannot be returned or exchanged for any reason.

A “defective item” refers to one that is clearly damaged at the time of delivery.
We take the utmost care in inspection before shipping,
but should you receive a defective item, please contact us within 3 days of delivery.

We will replace defective items whenever possible,
but depending on materials and the makers’ circumstances, a replacement may not be available.

Also, please understand that we cannot accept requests for return or exchange
if contacted 4 days or more after delivery.