[Bookmark]

The other day, I found an old bookmark inside a book I happened to open. I bought it as a small souvenir for myself during my first trip to America when I was in high school. Though the red string that originally came with it was gone, seeing the bookmark tucked inside the book, still bright in color, made me feel a little happy at this long-awaited reunion.

Reflecting on bookmarks, mine started with free ones from bookstores, often using book jackets or even the purchase receipt. Sometimes I'd use the stub from a museum or tourist attraction ticket I'd visited on my travels. Though seemingly ordinary and commonplace, bookmarks actually have a long history, said to have been born alongside the creation of books themselves.

The exact origin of the bookmark remains unclear. One theory traces it back to the mid-1st century AD, when Christian clergy would place a piece of their monastic robe between pages to mark their place in the Bible, showing reverence for this sacred text. The oldest surviving bookmark is a leather one found attached to a 6th-century Coptic manuscript, discovered in the ruins of an Egyptian monastery. In Europe during the 16th century, when movable type printing became widespread, paper knives used to cut open sewn-bound books served as makeshift bookmarks. However, because metal rust damaged the books, silk ribbons that did not harm the paper became the norm by the 19th century. Paper bookmarks then became mainstream, while luxurious leather or silver bookmarks were favored by the wealthy.

Meanwhile, the prototype of the bookmark in Japan is believed to be the ivory “sen” (divination stick), which arrived alongside Buddhist sutra scrolls. From the Nara to the Heian periods, bamboo or wooden sen were used. The Pillow Book also mentions a tool called “kefusan,” which served a role similar to the modern bookmark.

Entering the Edo period, as books became more widespread among the common people, they began using “paper twists” (koyori) made by twisting paper, or placing roadside flowers between the pages as markers. In fact, the term “shiori” (bookmark) began to be used in its modern sense during this era. When Tokugawa Mitsukuni, lord of the Mito domain, presented a silk-wrapped paper fragment to Emperor Go-Mizunoo, the emperor was greatly pleased. He then recited the waka poem by the monk Saigyo:
“吉野山 去年のしをりの 道かへて まだ見ぬかたの 花を尋ねむ”
(Last year, I found splendid cherry blossoms at Yoshino Mountain and broke a branch as a marker. This year, I'll take a different path to seek out blossoms in places I've never seen before.)
It is said that the Emperor then named this paper fragment “shiori” (branch-marker). Originally, “shiori” referred to the act described in the waka—breaking a branch as a marker while walking mountain paths. From this, the term came to be used for bookmarks indicating where one left off in a book, as well as for beginner's guides.

The appearance of thick paper bookmarks as we know them today in Japan dates back to 1892 (Meiji 25). It is said that Shunyodo Bookstore first included a color-printed bookmark with Ozaki Koyo's “Three Wives.” They gained widespread popularity after the Taisho era. When inexpensive complete editions called “enbon” became popular in the early Showa period, bookmarks featuring advertisements were produced in large numbers, becoming items for collection and exchange.

Thus, bookmarks—which have connected people and books while changing materials and forms with the times—have evolved not merely as “markers,” but as reflections of each era's culture, art, and trends. So, how about we, in the modern age, also try making our own bookmarks and enjoy the process?

For this, we recommend the Koichi Odanaka Calendar from the Handicraft Forum. It features printed stencil-dyed designs inspired by Japanese craftsmanship and seasonal motifs. While many cherish this calendar annually, once you've finished using it, simply cut out the design, punch a hole in the edge, thread your favorite string through it, and it transforms into a charming bookmark that will serve you well for years to come. Laminating it enhances durability, making it suitable as a small gift too.

A handmade bookmark crafted from the pages of the year gone by. Each time it catches your eye in a favorite book, you might sense the long history of bookmarks and the subtle warmth of culture woven into daily life.

Teshigoto Forum's Koichi Odanaka Calendar
https://www.shokunin.com/en/teshigoto/calendar.html

References
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%A0%9E
https://www.gentosha-book.com/bookshelf/renaissance11/