Recently I made a mask with hemp cloth. It wrinkles when washed, but there is no problem in using it. It feels very nice and I like it. Because hemp cloth is soft and easy to breathe.
Originally Japanese people have been
familiar with hemp, but nowadays it is hard to get Japanese hemp cloth. In
addition to “hemp”, plant fibers composed of cellulose include “ramie”, “linen”, “jute”, and “manila hemp”. In Japan, hemp rope has been excavated at the
Torihama (Fukui Prefecture) about 10,000 years
ago, and its history spans about 10,000 years (reference: "hemp today Japan"
In Japan, cotton has been popular since the early Edo Period (1603-1868), and many cloth products for daily use, such as clothing, nets and bags,
were made from hemp and ramie.
Hemp, Shinto and Purification
Cannabis hemp is not only used as
clothing in Japan, but also has a deep relationship with Shinto rituals. It is
also used for worship at shrines and ropes tightened by Yokozuna in sumo. The shimenawa of Ise Jingu is made of hemp. The name of "ofuda” that you can get at Ise Jingu is called Jingu
Cannabis, and the name of the tool used in the shrine also comes from hemp.
Cannabis has been a clean plant since ancient times. It cleanses bad things and
burns them to create a clean space. In the old days, they planted tall hemp in
their garden in Japan.
Hemp in life
The most utilized hemp is the
"stem." Peeled and honed fibers of stems are used for cloth, rope,
paper, building materials and shrines. The stem core can also be used as a
bonfire, bonfire, ikebana material, fertilizer and dehumidifier. It is used as
a base for thatched roofs of the world heritage "Shirakawa-goGassho-zukuri." The black grains in the typical Japanese spice mix, Shichimi pepper,
are hemp nuts.
Shichimi Pepper
Industrial hemp: You can fully utilize stems, leaves, seeds, and roots
Hemp can utilize all parts such as stem (fiber
part, wood part), seed, leaf, spike and root for industrial use.
They are
excellent properties as a recyclable material. For example, the fiber portion
of the stem serves as a raw material for clothing, paper, heat insulating
materials and plastics, the core portion of the stem serves as the bedding and
construction material for livestock, and the hemp seeds (fruit) are used for
food, food oil, cosmetics, biofuels, etc. They are tremendously valuable as
they have possibility of solving energy problems from building materials,
without the need for agricultural chemicals for cultivation.
Hemp cultivation is friendly to the global environment
Hemp cultivation has a very low impact on the global
environment, and rather works positively.
Hemp does not require pesticides or
chemical fertilizers and is highly resistant to harmful insects.
Very fast growing
It grows to about 3-4m in 100-120 days
and can be collected. It grows faster than weeds, eliminating the need for
herbicides.
Rotation is possible
It can be grown in a crop rotation
system such as wheat or corn. There is no increase in environmental load due to
monoculture (large-scale monoculture).
Soil is improved
Hemp spreads all over the roots, so the
soil after harvest becomes fluffy. In Japan, hemp has long been planted to
improve poor land.
Grows in bad soil
Hemp grows with a little water. In some
cases, it could be cultivated even on a land with an annual rainfall of 100 to
200 mm, and it is attracting attention as it has the potential to contribute to
the greening of the desert. Not only that, good hemp grows in hillsides,
wastelands, and soils that contain salt (alkaline), which are usually called
bad soil that is not suitable for growing crops. Therefore, it is expected that
the land that has been abandoned without any use will be effectively used.
Can be grown on any land
It can be cultivated in a wide range of
land from cold to temperate and tropical, from lean to fertile land. Double
cropping is possible in warm regions.
Hemp seed contains all 9 essential amino acids
Hemp seeds have been gaining attention as a superfood in recent years.
Foods that consume amino acids include animal protein and vegetable protein.
But it is hemp seeds that contain more, and more, comparable proteins.
Proteins are composed of amino acids
There are 20 types of amino acids that make up the human body, 9 of which
cannot be synthesized in the body. These nine types are called essential amino
acids and must be taken from food. Hemp seed contains all nine essential amino
acids.
Hemp oil contains well-balanced essential fatty acids
Like proteins, lipids are one of the three major
nutrients that make up the human body and play an important role in sustaining
life.
There are also essential fatty acids in lipids that cannot be synthesized
in the body and must be taken from the diet. Essential fatty acids include
omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid, etc.) and omega-3 fatty acids (linolenic
acid).
Balance between these two is important. For hemp oil from hemp seeds, it's 3:1.
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| Hemp oil |
Hemp oil is free of trans fatty acids and cholesterol
Hemp oil is free of trans fatty acids
and cholesterol. There are two types of trans fatty acids, which are present
naturally in trace amounts in milk and meat, and those which are artificially
made. Of these, the latter trans fatty acid is particularly harmful to human
health. Cholesterol is necessary for humans, but it tends to be excessively
taken in modern dietary habits, which causes health problems.
Hemp seeds are rich in minerals
Hemp seeds are also rich in
minerals, and since the seeds can be eaten whole, it is an effective food for
mineral intake. Minerals are essential nutrients for the human body to form the
body and regulate their functions, and in trace amounts. However, since it
cannot be synthesized in the human body, it must be taken from food.
reference: hemp foods Japan https://shop.hempfoods.jp/html/page26.html
Why is hemp a negative image in Japan?
The image of hemp has become negative in
recent decades. Despite the fact that ancient Japanese have made great use of
hemp. After the end of the war, the production of cannabis was severely
restricted by the "Drug Control Regulations" under the guidance of
GHQ. After revision and abolition of the rules, the Cannabis Control Act was enacted in 1948.
Before the enforcement of the cannabis control law on July
10, 1948, there were
37,000 hemp farmers, but the number had dropped to 30 now.
Reference: https://www.iseasa.com/hemp
Hemp is being used more and more in the world
There is a move to permit one or both of these for medical use only. In
the United States, which brought a hemp ban to Japan, the ban on cannabis for
medical purposes has been accelerating state by state in recent years.
In
addition, some states in the United States permit whole cannabis for
recreation, which has already been lifted in Colorado and Washington. The
appeal of cannabis has been rediscovered in many countries, not only in the
United States. Contrary to Japan, hemp is being used more and more in the
world.
Summary
Hemp has great potential. Hemp usage dates back ancient time in Japan. Until recently, it was widely cultivated here and there in Japan. After the war, however, hemp was banned in Japan, meanwhile the legalization and utilization of hemp are spreading worldwide.Under the circumstances, I use hemp within the legal range.
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| Hemp Curtain |
