How To Maintain The Scrolls
High humidity and rough treatment are strictly out of bounds for scrolls. Don't keep a scroll hanging for more than one month or stored in its box for more than one year, otherwise mold and spots break out. At least once or twice in a year, you should hang scrolls and give them an airing in the shade when it is a fine day. Please don't forget to open the wooden boxes at that time in order to dry the inside of the boxes. The scroll can last for hundreds years if you treat it carefully. We hope you will enjoy your Zen scrolls forever.
How To Roll
When you take your scroll downl, first roll up to half the length of the scroll. Please take care not to drop or bend the scroll and put it down on the floor gently. When you then roll it up fully, do so loosely and tighten a little at the end of the scroll. Fold up the left "Futai" (tassle) that is hanging down from the top along the folded lines, then fold in the right one it on top of the left. (See the pictures.)
The paper under the cord can protect the scroll from damage, so don't forget to put the paper under the cord. Tie the cord around the scroll 3 times in the same sense that you rolled the scroll. Then fold the rest of the cord in half to make a loop, put then over the cord used to support the scroll and pull the loop backwards underneath the supporting cord. Take the loop across and feed again under the supporting cord. Adjust the cord to the same length on both sides. (See the pictures.) When you pull the edge of the cord, it should release the scroll, easily.
When you look into the inside of the wooden box, you will find 2 pillows at the edges which are used to settle the end of the scroll's pillar settle the scroll. if you look carefully, you will find that the pillows have shoulders 2 different sizes. Wrap the scroll in a paper or a cloth and fix the wooden bar at the top of the scroll on the wider shoulder of the pillow. (See the pictures.) We advise that you put some moth repellent into boxes containing scrolls and renew this once or twice a year.
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