Kogin is a type of embroidery that is somewhat reminiscent of Norwegian hardanger embroidery or smøyg.
Geometric patterns are created by covering areas of fabric with a distinct, countable weave.
I can imagine it would be exciting and lovely to use as a decorative stitch and reinforcement in repairs, on elbow patches, and so on. With these kits, you can practice the technique and make yourself a beautiful pincushion!
Kogin was developed because hemp fabric was the only material available to poor farmers in Japan between the 17th and 19th centuries. It was very cold and rough fabric. By using counted stitches with thick thread, a softer surface and more insulation were created.
The kit contains more than enough thread for the project, linen fabric, 1 kogin needle, wooden bowl, wadding for filling, and instructions in Japanese. To finish the bowl, you will need craft or textile glue, which is not included.
Since sashiko and kogin are so new outside of Japan, manufacturers are working to get more products in English, but as pioneers in the field here in Norway, we have to interpret the instructions a bit ourselves. The instructions have illustrations that are easy to follow. If you have any questions, just send an email and I will answer as best I can.
You can also fill it with other things, or other things in combination with the wadding if you want more weight, or something that "sharpens" the needles (like sand, walnut shells, steel wool, or similar). If you fill it with something other than wadding, it might be wise to place a layer of more tightly woven fabric under the linen after you have finished embroidering, before gathering it with the filling, as the linen fabric is loosely woven to be suitable for kogin embroidery.