Natsu Kikuchi

* Living in Tokyo, Japan

* Email address: natsuup@gmail.com

* Qualified/certified wrapping teacher and designer since 2004.

* She has been teaching gift wrapping in the class or workshop mostly to foreigners from various countries in English providing instructions written in English at many places such as international organization/group, embassy, Church, hotel, and private house or apartment etc.

* In the class, she teaches wrapping skills from traditional style to modern/new style but also the background of Japanese wrapping such as history, custom or interesting stories to explain the culture.

.* The materials are from Japanese unique beautiful ones (such as furoshiki; wrapping cloth, tenugui; Japanese towel etc.) as well as various types of paper to common materials easy to get anywhere.

ナツ　キクチ

東京在住

認定ラッピングコーディネーター・講師として, 2004年より国際的グループ/機関、大使館、教会、ホテル、個人の家やマンションなどでクラスやワークショップ、プレゼンテーションを行う。

外国人対象に英語で行われることが多いが日本人からもかなりの好評を得ている。

ラッピング技術の他にその背景となる歴史や文化にも触れ、興味深い話を織り交ぜて紹介している。　様々な材料を使って、タイプの違う紙や風呂敷、手ぬぐいなどの布，変化のあるラッピング方法と素材で伝統的なものから新しいもの、オリジナルまで色々なスタイルを扱う。

プライベートレッスンやワークショップなどのお問い合わせはこちらまで。natuup@gmail.com 

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---To know something more---

Please read the article in the magazine about Japanese wrapping and her comments.　

　* The following sentence is a part of the article that runs in the in-flight magazine of Philippine Airlines, ’Mabuhay’, the December (2016) issue.

The article was written by a British journalist, based on her interview with Natsu Kikuchi about Japanese Wrapping. Please read the whole article in the website below.   (page 42 and 43, 'Mabuhay' for Phillipine Airlines:http//www.ink-live.com/emagazines/mabuhay)

ー追加情報＝

＊以下の文章（英文）は最近紹介された記事で、フィリピンエアラインの12月号機内誌（２０１６年）、Mabuhayに掲載されたもので、イギリス人ジャーナリストがJapanese Wrapping について、ナツ　キクチへのインタビューに基づいて書いたものの一部です。（上記URLの同誌ウェブサイトより全文をお読み下さい。　'Mabuhay'１２月号　P42ー43 参照）

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“Wrapping is an integral part of Japanese culture and represents people’s love and consideration for others," explains Natsu Kikuchi, an ex pert Japanese gift wrapper who teaches private classes and workshops in Tokyo. "We send our various messages of gratitude, congratulations, sorrow, sympathy or friendship or love by wrapping gifts properly and uniquely. Proper and beautiful wrapping (is synonymous with) good manners here in Japan,, showing politeness and respect.”

She stresses that -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“This is a uniquely symbolic style of Japanese communication," Kikuchi says, " But to wrap well is not just about skills –(it's grounded in) traditional concepts, customs and manners.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“Furoshiki were used to keep the valuables of the emperors, or to bundle Buddhist priests’ robes, Kikuchi says,."It was later, from around the 17th century, that they became popular among commoners.”

“We have many different style wrappings today – traditional, modern, new designs, original materials," Kikuchi explains. " The style of wrapping really depends on the occasion – whether it is a happy or unhappy event, such as a wedding or a funeral. You can’t mix up wrapping manners in styles or colors. There are certain rules for gift wrapping that show joy and others that show sorrow.”

Can she offer tips for novice wrapper:s? "“The most important thing is to show how much you love or care about that person, " Kikuchi says, "Even if you are not a good wrapper, I suggest you master one simple skill – for example, learning how to tie a beautiful bow perfectly, to make a gift look different and special."

To arrange a private Japanese gift-wrapping class, contact Natsu Kikuchi at natsuup@gmail.com 　　-Danielle Demetriou