KUSUDAMA(Ornamental Scented Ball)

The rainy season, May to the lunder calendar, around June today, was the time that had many plagues due to poor sanitary candition in those days. Around 9th century, there was the custom that women make ornamental scented balls at the Court or bobles' residences and give them each other ar the Boys' Festival on May 5. An ornamental scented ball is a charm to keep sickness away. They put some perfume in a pretty fabric bag, decorated it with fake flowers, and hang 5 sgtrings with different colour. People hang it in rooms, and replace it with a new one every year. This custom spread among townswomen in the Edo period and they made a "craft ornamental scented ball", with a crap of crepe.