Saturday 27 November 2021

Japan Packaging


About 20 years ago, just before Christmas, I bought a large round box of Belgian Chocolates from Thornton's (a reasonably up-market UK Chocolate shop).

I was asked if I'd like it wrapped. Of course I replied 'yes please'.

Wrapping a round box isn't easy, so you can imagine my admiration as I watched the young lady making fold after fold as she worked her way around the box; leaving perfectly spaced gaps between each fold, and finishing with a Chrysanthemum pattern on the top.

I remarked to her how impressed I was with her skill, and she seemed genuinely flattered. As I left the shop I wondered if anyone else had admired her skill, and had said the same as me. Maybe not.

Here is a young Japanese girl showing similar, but much simpler, skills.


33 comments:

  1. It's always good to see people that can do a proper job.

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  2. Nice to find you promoting a company that was formed in Sheffield in 1911 by Joseph William Thornton.

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  3. Presentation is important.
    In Japan, ceramics are often sold with their own wooden box

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    Replies
    1. When I was in the Antiques business, I often had Chinese ceramics that came in special silk-lined boxes. They seemed to treasure their craftsmen more than we do.

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  4. Very impressive wrapping even though it is just a rectangular box. I am not a good wrapper, even though I try hard.

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    1. Me too. I do my best, but the messy bits usually get covered over with a card or a fancy bow.

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  5. I used to work for a Japanese company and ever since have admired the Japanese way of wrapping things. Sadly, I've never had the patience to learn it myself.

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    1. I always wrap in a rectangular fashion, I notice that the Japanese tend to wrap at an angle. Maybe I should try their way.

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  6. My package wrapping skills are woeful.
    I must watch more YouTube videos.

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    Replies
    1. Mine are OK, but nothing like the girl above.

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  7. Impressive! I have got to wrap 3 large books for a birthday, but I think I will stick with my own tried and tested method.

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    Replies
    1. It's coming up to 'wrapping season', so we all need to practice our skills.

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  8. My packaging skills are not good so mostly I use bags which can be opened and passed on. With a large family with birthdays, name days, xmas and easter there are always plenty of bags going around.

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    Replies
    1. Nice bags are always a good idea, and as you say, they'll be safely guarded and passed on.

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  9. The tragedy of wrapping anything, artful or otherwise, that the recipient of a present rarely pays any attention to the love and care, nay, downright contortions the giver has put themselves through. Ripped off in seconds!

    U

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    1. In which case I must be the exception. I always admire well wrapped presents. I often enjoy the packaging as much as the gift inside.

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  10. Even though I say it myself, I’m quite good at wrapping presents but not as good as that girl. I have seen quite a few people wrapping online and might have a go at some of the more intricate wrapping. My husband is rubbish at wrapping …. I usually get something rolled and tied at each end like a cracker with loads of sellotape wound round the ends !!!!!! XXXX

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    Replies
    1. My wife always asks me to wrap things for her!!!

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  11. I used to go to a particular fish and chip shop (in the newspaper wrapping days) because the woman who was surely the fastest fish and chip wrapper-upper in the world worked there. She was unbelieveable.

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    1. For a while they had 'pretend' newspaper, I wonder if they still do? I very nearly bought Fish-n-Chips last night, but decided to make my own.

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  12. Nothing beats a really good fish and chip shop - anything less than the very best and home made are better I think. Lovely wrapping - the Japenese are so good at it.

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    1. We've been meaning to treat ourselves to fish-n-Chips on The Pier since our return. We'll go one day soon.

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  13. A beautifully wrapped gift makes a perfect presentation. My recent baby gift bought at Fritz & Gigi, Concord, MA was wrapped nicely; tissue paper inside and silk ribbon to enclose everything. Elizabeth was teary eyed with pleasure with the wrapping, gift inside and the card. It made my day!

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    Replies
    1. It makes such a difference. A poorly wrapped gift shows a lack of sincerity.

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  14. The last time I was in Japan I always had my packages wrapped, even if they were for me. Then when home I unwrapped then very carefully so I could learn and enjoy the memory.
    Lovely post today.

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    1. I've not visited Japan, but I do have a lot of admiration for their culture; ancient and modern.

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  15. I had to buy a small bag from the Louis Vuitton shop in Rome ( a request from my son for his wife ) it was placed in a beautiful silk dust bag then wrapped in more silk fabric before being placed in a flock lined box then put in a beautiful stiff fabric bag tied with a silk ribbon then placed in a paper carrier bag tied with a silk ribbon, it was a joy to behold, it almost made up for the extortionate price of the bag.

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    1. As I read your comment I was thinking 'that sounds expensive', but I suppose everything at Vuitton's is expensive.

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  16. That's pretty fancy packaging! I wouldn't have thought a square or rectangular box would get such nice treatment. Nothing at all like the 40 pound blocks of cheese I used to wrap daily when working in a cheese making/milk bottling factory.

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    Replies
    1. I'd prefer the cheese to the chocs; however they were packaged!

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