Japanese tip: origami left on the table



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Yuki Tatsumi was a waiter in a Japanese tavern in Kyoto when one day his eye was attracted by a strange object left by a customer on a table, a case with paper sticks folded into an abstract form. Thus was born a collection of 15,000 pieces of origami.

They were created by customers of restaurants with the sleeve of paper in which are slipped the disposable chopsticks.

"This first piece had rather looks good for the trash, "recalls the young man of 27 years. But she made him think. "And if it was a message that the customers send me?" Suddenly, ridding the tables has become fun. "

It is not customary to leave some pieces to the waiters in Japan, but Mr. Tatsumi has finished to consider these little papers folded like a tip "to the Japanese" and began to watch their appearance.

He quickly found that there was an immense variety of these mini-works of art left by the guests. Perhaps not surprising in a country where the art of origami (folded paper) is a widespread pastime and even taught at school.

"I discovered that many of them had Japanese lucky shapes, such as a fan, a crane or a turtle, "he says. "I even saw a table turned into an aquarium with folded papers shaped like fish and seaweed."

Pleased with these finds, he decided to find some elsewhere and asked other restaurants to give him these little gifts left by their own customers.

– An exhibition in Paris? –

In April 2016, he set out for a year-long journey through Japan, asking hundreds of restaurants, taverns, noodle stalls to share his folded cases with him.

He met curiosity and resistance from restaurant owners questioning his pbadion for the remains of meals that usually go straight to garbage. But at the end of the day, 185 food outlets from the northern island of Hokkaido to subtropical Okinawa countries promised to keep everything they could find in order to send it to him.

"Many restaurateurs helped me tell them they now find it more gratifying than a tip in cash, "says Tatsumi.

He is now working as a researcher at a Kameoka art museum near Kyoto and has about 15,000 pieces each of which is enclosed in a small wooden box, like a jewel

Many of them are simple: a paper bag rest for example. But some are more elaborate like this little black and white dress or this blue case rolled snake.

He sees a way of communication between customers and servers and is worried about the multiplication of restaurants where the order is made via a Dedicated Appliance.

"When you walk into a restaurant and only deal with one machine, I do not think it makes you want to make these things, I really think they're created only when people communicate directly, "he says.

M. Tatsumi has already exhibited its trophy collection in Japan and plans to present it as part of exhibitions in Paris or South Korea this year.

"Japan is a very rich country, where you can find something to eat anywhere and anytime, but I get the feeling that people are less grateful than before for what they have and to those who prepare food, "he says.

" Money is not the only way to express positive feelings. "

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