[Long: 67inch] Noren Curtain Tapestry -Enso Circle : Beige (with Mame Tenugui)

I bought this to offer some privacy for my doorway that I have to leave open for the cats and dog, and also because there is no central air conditioning. It came folded up in a plastic bag and I worried that I would need to iron it, but that was not the case. It came out without many creases, and the only creases that are visible are conveniently vertical. It is a very soft, porous fabric that allows air to pass through easily. The holes allow a lot of light and color through making it like a screen in terms of privacy. If there is light in my room, it's easier to see through the noren, and the most visible parts are through the black color. Note that if you buy a darker noren from the same manufacturer, it may not necessarily be more opaque due to this effect. Lighter colors will reflect more light while darker ones will absorb them. The picture does not show that there is a perforation down the middle making it very easy to cut, but in my opinion would also make it a bit awkward to use as a tapestry when there is an obvious mysterious line down the center. I provided a picture for reference. I was anxious about cutting it before I received it, imagining I would need to fold, iron and painstakingly cut it, but that wide perforation worked wonderfully.The reason this product is 4 stars is due to the difference from the picture and reality as far as visibility goes. The picture makes the noren look much more opaque than reality. See the attached dual picture for a reference as to what you actually get when you order this product. Note that for the average doorway, there will be some crinkling necessary if you install it with curtain rods as I have (I bought bronze and the color matches well). It was cheaper, easier, and didn't require drilling holes and possibly losing some of my security deposit.I don't know for sure if I would have ordered this noren had I known it was so translucent. However, I like how it glides on my skin when I pass through it and the lovely addition it is to my Japanese decor. The design is simple, yet an enso means so much. In Asian decorating, less is more, and most noren are very busy in design. Many are clearly designed with children in mind. This works well to keep an open passageway for my pets and offer a fair bit of privacy for my bedroom from the living space in this small apartment. It's definitely more pleasant to look at than my bedroom still unfinished from moving - which is a very European design in contrast.

Love this! Looks great. Great quality. Really enjoy it to divide the kitchen from the living room. Zen looking.