[Water Bottle]

In recent years, taking one's water bottle has been attracting attention as an easy way to address environmental issues such as the reduction of single-use plastics. Recently, water and tea supply spots have been set up at major events, and there are apps that display water supply spots around town on a map. Many people may have made it a habit to bring their own bottle of water.

Water is indispensable to our lives. For this reason, humans have been ingenious in carrying water since ancient times. The first water bottles date back to around 3000 BC in China and Europe. At that time, water bottles were made from animal stomachs and other items made of leather that was sewn together to form a pouch. An interesting story about these water bottles is told in an Arabian folk tale from 2000 to 4000 BC. An Arab merchant filled a canteen made of sheep's stomach with milk and set off on a camel ride through the desert. When he went to drink the milk on the way, he was surprised to see a white lump and a clear liquid like water coming out of the canteen. When he ate the lump, it tasted so good that it is said to be the prototype of cheese. This principle seems to have been incorporated into the modern cheese-making process as well, as the enzymes in the sheep's stomachs and the high temperatures of the desert and the vibrations caused by camel travel dehydrated the milk.

On the other hand, in water-rich East Asian regions, including Japan, there was no need to carry large amounts of water at a time, so compact, lightweight natural containers such as gourds and bamboo were used as water bottles. In Japan, during the Edo period (1603-1867), people began to emphasize not only functionality but also design, such as lacquered containers or containers with family crests, to take with them on excursions or to see a play. Later, the material used for water bottles shifted to aluminum and other metals for their strength and ability to be directly exposed to fire, as they were used for military purposes.

In this way, water bottles have always been a part of our lives, evolving in material and design to meet the needs of the times and the purposes for which they are used. If you drink your favorite beverage in your favorite water bottle when you are out or at work, you may encounter wonderful encounters and new ideas, just like the Arab merchants who discovered cheese. Why don't you start living with your own bottle?

MokuNeji's Bottle
https://www.shokunin.com/en/mokuneji/bottle.html

References
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/水筒
https://www.suntory.co.jp/eco/teigen/jiten/world/07/
https://www.aquas5.com/knowledge/30/001708.php
https://www.qbb.co.jp/enjoy/cheese/history