Chikufujin

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A Chikufujin (竹夫人) (literally "bamboo wife") is a the Japanese version of a Dutch wife, a hollow bamboo form roughly the size of a human body.

The origin of the English term "Dutch wife" is thought to be from the Dutch colony of Indonesia where Dutch traders would spend long periods away from their wives. The term in Korean is also "bamboo wife."

Chikufujin are hand-woven from bamboo cane.

[edit] Usage

In the summer heat, the open bamboo structure is cooler to the touch than fabric pillows or sheets. The Dutch wife is embraced by the user, as one would a sleeping companion- this position exposes the maximum amount of the body to cooling breezes.

[edit] Adoption

Chikufukin and their variants in other countries have their origin and use in East Asia and Southeast Asia, tropical countries with hot, humid seasons.

They are now less popular to the point of extinction, possibly due to the prevalence of air conditioning.

[edit] Chikufujin in Culture

Because chikufujin are hand-woven from cheap materials, they are an item used to connote the poverty of the manufacturer. In the Japanese film Lady Snowblood, a supporting character "Kobue" makes her living by weaving chikufujin.