Hemp is comfortable and gentle to feel and touch. It is not because a component of marijuana in the material is in effect. In America, it is said that hemp was used for various purposes historically. Paper was made from hemp, as the Declaration of Independence was written in the paper made from hemp. Also, oil was extracted from hemp, and oil made from hemp lighted lamps in the homes. Of course, cloth and fabric were made from hemp.

In Shintoism in Japan, hemp is represented as a sacred plant in its long history. It is true that some people prefer to wear all of their clothes made from hemp, such as pants (trousers), vests, sweaters, etc. In illness, some people wrap around the necks and shoulders with shawls made from hemp. Pants made from hemp are rather coarse. However, some people can not do without the pants, as they can fall into deep sleep if they sleep with the pants on. There is a saying in Japan that when a lightning strikes, you should cover your belly button and get inside the mosquito net made of hemp. Thus, those people wearing clothes made from hemp love to wear them in the belief that they are well protected from the electromagnetic field. It is also said that you are safe if you wear a cap made from hemp, especially at the time of sitting in front of the computer.

When you wear clothes made from hemp, you will come to sense that you feel a load off your body and mind. It may be working in the electromagnetic field. It may be that mind is also palpable in the electromagnetic field. As the brain and neurological systems are working with emissions of electric signals, it is understandable that we can feel the electromagnetic field.

In the Japanese shrine, they conduct a purification ceremony. It is a ritual to keep evil spirits away. The swishing paper being used in the shrine is originally made from hemp. In some instances, the ceremony is conducted in the way that a Shinto priest uses a broom-like tool with a lot of swishing papers hanging from it and swings over the heads of people, so that their evil spirits are kept away. Hemp was, therefore, used as a tool for keeping evil spirits away as well as maintaining the sacred spiritual domain.

In addition, hemp can play a role of improving the earth environment by planting hemp in desserts; thus, the value of hemp is being reevaluated around the world. In this 21st century, we are hoping that the culture of hemp, along with mosquito nets made from hemp, will revive on this earth. Probably, there will be some messages with respect to hemp on earth; it is something to do with the will of God. In order to do the will of God on earth, hemp must be an ideal plant to make it possible to happen on earth.

Prior to 1945, there were abundant fields of hemp in Japan, but the growing of hemp became illegal in accordance with directions of the U.S. government. All the hemp plants were then cut down. The law was enforced despite the fact that hemp plants in Japan contained almost no component of marijuana. Hemp was very useful and beneficial to people; however, as the industrialization and urbanization were to advance, it was probably the necessary policy for the government to prevent the people in rural areas from becoming too self-sufficient by means of growing hemp.

Furthermore, hemp has a great potential to be used as plant (vegetation)-generated energy. In the 1930’s, research to produce seedlings of super hemp was successfully underway. This hemp is said to have produced a great deal of superior-quality oil. The quality of fiber was excellent, and it was possible to be used for multiple purposes. However, it can be said that the growing of hemp was legally prohibited to protect and maintain the rights and interests of the leading petro-chemical industries with large capitalizations.

In 1941, Henry Ford had already manufactured a “hemp” automobile.” The automobile had light and strong plastic materials made of hemp on the body. The engine was run on oil made from hemp and on alcohol made from hemp and potatoes. It is said that the growing of hemp was made illegal in order to scrap this inventive attempt. Currently, we are able to buy diesel fuel made from hemp, which is in line with light oil in terms of cost and fuel consumption. It can be used with ordinary diesel engines, and the engine does not get damaged more than by light oil. The diesel fuel made from hemp is environmentally compatible, too.

After World War II, the Cannabis Control Law was enacted in 1948, under the occupational government, and since then the growing of hemp has be illegal. Hemp is, therefore, viewed as a terrible and dreadful material, as it is often associated with marijuana and narcotics. However, recent medical researches in the U.S. and Europe show clear evidences that marijuana has therapeutic effects on cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, asthma, depression, chronic pain, and neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Accordingly, the ban of marijuana in medical uses is gradually removed in many countries.

Indeed, there were fields of hemp in Japan before the war. There was a song that goes like this, “Mother stayed up late at night and knitted gloves for me” and the second verse goes like this, “Mother spins hemp into thread and spins all day long.” It was true that Indian hemp (plant) was shelved in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, as medicine to cure asthma and insomnia.

Hemp used to be available not only for pharmaceutical purposes but also for Shinto rituals in our country from time immemorial. Bowstrings of arrows are made of hemp, and the incarnation of Amaterasu Ohmikami (Shinto’s founding divine figure) was figured in hemp. Speaking of a bowstring of an arrow (bow), the sound generated when a bow is drawn to its full extent is called “tsurune” (chordotonal). In Shintoism, the ritual to make this “tsurune” is called “Meigen no gi” (ritual of bow ringing). This ritual was conducted to keep away evil spirits and to purify the ground. In the Imperial Court, this ritual of bow ringing was conducted when a prince was born. Thus, hemp was regarded as the sacred produce in the traditional Japanese society.

In 2004, anmin.com, the top maker of Japanese Kaya (mosquito nets), has come up with Kaya made of hemp.