Tsujiura Yōji
A tsujiura yōji is a toothpick wrapped with a red strip of paper printed with a love poem written in the style of a dodoitsu.
Dodoitsu is a form of Japanese verse often used in songs and humorous or emotional recitations. It consists of four lines with a syllabic pattern of 7-7-7-5, for a total of 26 syllables.
The themes are usually about love, daily life, or human emotions, often expressed with wit or a touch of melancholy. Because of its rhythm and structure, it’s easy to set to music and was popular in the Edo period among common people, especially in vaudeville and folk songs
Tsujiura is a traditional Japanese form of fortune-telling that dates back to the Edo period.
The word literally means “fortune at a crossroads” (tsuji = crossroads, ura = divination or fortune*).* In the past, people would stand at a street corner and listen to the first words spoken by passersby, believing those words to contain hints about their future or romantic fate.
Over time, tsujiura also came to refer to paper fortunes containing brief poems or messages about love and luck, similar to what we now see in fortune cookies or temple omikuji. In some traditions, the fortunes are wrapped around small items such as toothpicks or sweets—a practice that inspired items like the tsujiura yōji (fortune-telling toothpick).
Saruya's toothpick is kuromojiー
ーWhat is kuromoji?？
It is a deciduous shrub of the camphor family and is widely native to Japan.
It is characterized by a refreshing scent and has a gentle scent, so it is recommended for those who do not like strong scents. Its scent has a relaxing effect and has been loved in Japan for a long time.
ーWhat are the features of kuromoji toothpicks？
It is a toothpick that has moderate elasticity, is supple and does not break easily.