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There are various traditional paper arts in Japan and kamikiri, paper cutting craft, is one of them but the difference from other paper arts is that kamikiri is also a stage performance.

The performer cuts out a silhouette of something without drawing lines on a piece of paper.

Usually while cutting the paper with scissors, the performer keeps talking to entertain the audience.

So it is very complicated and hard!

The follow video is a kamikiri expert, Hayashiya Imamaru’s performance.

Having 50 years of kamikiri experience, he can make any silhouette by requests and make profile of a person instantly.

In the video, he makes a geisha, audiences’ profiles and people carrying a portable shrine.

Although he makes them very quickly, the lines are so detailed.

When you watch the following video, I want you to pause to see how beautiful the silhouettes are.

For those who’ve never seen a portable shrine, this is a picture of it.

“People carrying a portable shrine”

"syunsune1206" some rights reserved. flickr

Now, enjoy the kamikiri performance!

I think paper cutting crafts are not so rare but this man has got extraordinary skill.

It is very amazing how he makes those silhouettes so easily.

This is JAPAN Style!

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