Chances are you cannot guess what is in this box…
If you live in Japan you probably will be able to guess correctly, otherwise the chances are very slim. The culture behind the contents of the box is, as far as I am aware, unique to Japan. The contents of the box are so exceptionally unique I think you might be surprised.
Have you guessed?
The answer
This box is a Kotobuki Bako; a keepsake box for the part of the umbilical cord that women who birth in Japan receive on the day they get discharged from hospital. The part of the umbilical cord that is kept is quite small. It is treated by the staff at the hospital to preserve it and in a ceremony called heso-no-o it is wrapped in gauze cloth and placed in a specially crafted box. I have a Kotobuki Bako for all three of my children. They are stored like treasure as that’s what they are; a piece of the lifeline that so deeply connected me and my children while they were still in the womb. I contemplated sharing a photo of the contents, but it is so uniquely unique I couldn’t bring myself to! So the box will have to do!
To find out more about the weekly photo challenge please visit the Daily Post section of WordPress or click this link.
That really is unique! And a lovely idea, especially that the hospital treat it with such care and that you have the pretty box for it. I think my daughter, baby due in April, will like this idea.
Tbh at first I thought it was really weird that I was going to be given part of the cord; because I didn’t realise it was treated and presented in a box! When I received it I realised just how unique and amazing it is to have part of the cord forever. I hope your daughter’s pregnancy is going well. You must be so excited for the new arrivals.
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Uhinque « patriciaddrury
Thank you so much for the link. I love your blog, it is a honour to be listed in your “unique” articles. Thank you
I think you win the uniquest of the unique (for the contents anyway).
Thank you
So much of Japanese culture is unique to Japan, but I think the keeping of the stump is one of the most interesting and different practises here.
Pingback: 2-2-13 Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique « The Quotidian Hudson
Thank you so much for listing me in your Unique article, I really appreciate it.
You have an awesome blog.
This is much prettier than the box I got mine in!
I was googling to see if there was much on the topic and I came across some really elaborate boxes, put our 3 little bears to shame!
Neither of the boxes I received were nearly as cute either, but at the midwife clinic they didn’t just give me a piece of the umbilical cord, they gave me the entire cord! It’s wrapped into a neat spiral and tied with a pretty ribbon around it.
The entire cord; wow. Where do you store it!! And do you keep the other one with it? All of our boxes are the same and rather than be organised and write their names on the boxes I keep them all in separate places so I don’t get them mixed up!
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique | Rebecca Barray
Thank you so much for listing me in your links. You have beautiful photos and a lovely blog.
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique Candle, Really? | Humbled Pie
Thank you so much for listing me in your “Unique” blog list
gross!
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge:Unique « A week in the World.
Thank you for linking my article as a related post. I really appreciate it.
I’m not from Japan, but years ago, I found an tiny cloth bag of sorts. My mother told me that it was a part of my umbilical cord that she kept. Cool and creepy at the same time
Haha! It is a bit creepy to look at eh. Did it smell? Ours don’t at the moment, but I wonder with time will they!?
It’s all dried up. It looked like some shriveled leaf/ twig. I didn’t really spend that much time sniffing it though.