Catalog: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (205)

Cotton flag or banner with katazome (stencil-resist-dye) bee motif. The usage is not clear. In good condition but has some light stains. The first half of the 20th century. 86cm x 112cm

Baby's cotton kimono with Sekka-shibori, one kind of board-clamp dye. It has cotton lining. Handsewn but the belt is sewn by machine. Generally in good condition but some light stains in the cotton white lining and upper front. The first half of the 20th century. 59cm x 47cm

Candle stand made of wood and bamboo. The wick and the saucer are made of copper. In excellent condition except for a hairline in the bamboo, but no problem for use. The first half of the 20th century. H:39cm Diameter of the bottom:18cm

Han-juban (short under kimono) made of plain weave silk and beni-itajime (clamp-board dye) with hand painted Yuzen design. The red dye is chemical which was practiced from Meiji period (late 19th century), after beni-itajime with beni(safflower), practiced in Kyoto in Edo period. The last image is beni-itajime with Yuzen dye. The lining is cotton. In excellent condition...

Saiho-hinagata (or hinagata), the sewing sample which is a miniature sample to learn sewing. It was invented by an educator for saving time and textile using a special measuring rod. It was practiced in a girl's school from Meiji 7, 1874). Reduced scales were one-third in the beginning and one-quarter, one-half, one-fifth etc. The sewing technique was exactly same as the real size in details. Saiho-hinagata was designated as a significant tangible folk cultural asset...

Sakiori obi for a casual kimono. The warp is cotton yarn and the weft is cotton strips recycled old from cloth. In excellent condition. The second half of the 20th century. 13.3cm x 2m16cm

Sakiori obi (sash) for a casual kimono. Weft is cotton strips which are recycled old cotton kimono and warp is silk yarn. In excellent condition. 20th century. 14cm x 2m28cm

sakiori obi whose wefts are strips from old silk and cotton kimono and warps are brown silk yarn. In excellent condition. 20th century. 9.3cm x 2m34cm

Man's silk juban (under kimono) with shibori design whose motif is shogi-no-koma (pieces of Japanese chess) with Chinese characters. It also has hand-painting with gold. In excellent condition. The first half of the 20th century. W:134cm L:131cm

Sakiori obi handwoven of strips from silk kimono for weft and cotton yarn for warp. In excellent condition. 20th century. 14cm x 2m72cm

This is a silk meisen Haori which is heiyo-gasuri. As for the heiyo-gasuri, warps and wefts are stencil printed separately and then machine-woven. Heiyo-gasuri made it possible to make more vivid, colorful and free design. It has reddish brown flowers with gray and yellow in beige ground. It has silk lining with beautiful stencil-printed flowers pattern and hand-braided cords in front. In excellent condition. Mid 20th century. 128cm x 78cm

This is a silk meisen haori ( jacket ). Meisen textile is a kind of pongee silk which is machine woven and has kasuri ( ikat ) pattern. Meisen kimono was very popular among young women as a casual kimono between 1920s and 1950s and many of them have eye-catching bold and contemporary design. Mid Showa period ( ca. 1940s~50s ). In excellent condition. 126cm x 87cm 49.6" x 34.3"

Two kitchen cloth (fukin) made of thin cotton cloth with sashiko whose needlework is delicately well done. In good condition but the right one has light stains and the other has green color breeding lightly. The second half of the 20th century. 31cm x 33cm (right), 32cmx 35cm (left)

Asa (hemp) unlined kimono with katazome (stencil-resist-dye) fan motif. In good condition but has a few brownish spots. Mid 20th century. 126cm x 152cm

Sakiori obi for a casual kimono whose wefts are strips recycled from black cotton cloth and warps are silk yarn in green, brown and white. In excellent condition. 20th century. 12cm x 2m64cm

Han-haba (half width) obi for casual kimono. Wefts are silk yarn and warps are also black silk yarn. It has softer texture and thinner than sakiori obi. In excellent condition. 20th century. W:15.5cm x 2m92cm

Katagami which is used for katazome (stenci-resist-dye), made of many layers of washi (Japanese handmade paper). It is painted with kakishibu (persimmon tannin) for waterproof and strength. The pattern "Kanze-mizu" is derived from the crest of the Noh drama player Kanze Dayu which is whirl of water. He was the founder of Kanze style Noh (15th century). In good condition. 20th century. 38cm x 45cm

4 pieces of Nara Uchiwa whose history dates back to Nara period (A.D.710~794). It began as manual side line work of the Shinto priest of Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara. The traditional motifs (Tenpyo Moyo) such as peonix, deer, kylin (imaginary animal), dragon, Parrot etc. These four (originally five) were made by Ikeda Gankodo which is only existing maker of it in Nara. In good condition. The first half of the 20th century. W:22cm L:37cm

Wooden figure of Tosa-inu (Tosa dog) representing Yokozuna (grand champion of sumo ). Tosa is located in Kochi prefecture in Shikoku district. In good condition except for some dirt in the ropes. 20th century. W:10.3cm x H:10.3cm D:12cm

Hand-woven silk sakiori obi (sash) whose weft is bunch of mixed color of silk yarn and warp is off-white silk yarn. Generally sakiori is hand-woven of recycled strips from old cloth for wefts , however we call the one also sakiori whose wefts are bunch of yarns. In good condition but has folded line along the length. 20th century. 25cm x 3m42cm

Hand-woven silk sakiori obi (sash) whose weft is bunch of mixed color of silk yarn and warp is black cotton yarn. Generally sakiori is hand-woven of recycled strips from old cloth for wefts , however, we call the one also sakiori, whose wefts are bunch of yarns. In excellent condition. Black borders are recycled cotton strips. 20th century. 13cm x 2m56cm

Paper stencil for kimono or futonji which are made of wash, Japanese handmade paper. The first paper stencil resist dyeing appeared in the Kamakura and Nanboku-cho period (1185~1392). It was applied for many items later, such as samurai's kamishimo(komon), civilian's kimono, No-drama costume and so on. Mino-gami (handmade paper made in Mino in Gifu Pref.) is used for the stencil...

Maiwai-gi which is a festive kimono of fishermem. It was given to fishermen from a master of fishermen or an owner of a fish boat on the occasion of large catch. It is mostly made of cotton with auspicious motifs with katazome (stencil-resist-dye) and partly hand painting. The original location of the Maiwai-gi is Boso peninsula in Chiba prefecture since late Edo period and spread along the Pacific Coast. This one has thick cotton lining so that it is made into yogi (kimono shaped bedding)...

A fisherman's work wear hand-woven of hemp for the weft and cotton yarn for the warp. Stripes are vegetable indigo dye and also natural color cotton yarn. It is from Tsushima in Nagasaki prefecture, an island located between Korean Peninsula and north Kyushu, and the textile is called Tsushima-asa. It had been woven till 1930s, but not woven since then, so it is precious, especially in this excellent condition one...

Four volumes of sample books of mingei textiles which are all natural dye and handwoven from Aomori to Kagoshima prefecture. Some are designated as intangible national assets, however some haven't been woven anymore now, and some are reproduced. They include precious bast fibers such as fuji-fu (wisteria), shina-fu, kuzu-fu and so on. They also have natural dye textiles such as shikon-zome, akane-zome, indigo dye Arimatsu Narumi shibori, tsumugi and so on...

Bashofu kimono made of several different pieces of bashofu with stripes. It is roughly sewn together, so it might be worn for a work wear. Both weft and warp are hand-plied. In good condition except for some stains. The first half of the 20th century. 124cm x 126cm

Bashofu kimono hand-woven of banana fiber for both wefts and warps. The yarn is rather thicker and tougher comparing with very fine yarn for thinner and higher quality bashofu, so that it is for a everyday kimono or work wear. Brown stripes are also banana fibers. Late 19th to early 20th century. In good condition except for a mending near the lower side in the back and wear near neck. 104cm x 115cm

Bashofu kimono hand-woven of ito-basho, which is a family of banana tree, for both wefts and warps. The brown stripe yarn and warp kasuri yarn are dyed with Sharinbai, a family of the rose tree. The small weft kasri yarn is dyed with Ryukyu ai, vegetable indigo in Okinawa. Bashofu has been woven in many islands in Okinawa from old days, for everyday kimono or work wear. The first half of the 20th century. W:114cm, L:132cm

Basket made of yama-budo (crimson glory vine) for body part and akebi (akebia vine) for handles. It is from Tohoku region, North-East of the Honshu. In excellent condition. 20th century. 48cm x 33cm x 16cm (body part)

Hanten with sashiko and mending patches which is from Shonai region in Yamagata prefecture. It is made of many indigo dye cotton fragments as cotton was precious in regions with cold climate. It has beautiful vegetable indigo faded and worn-out parts. The first half of the 20th century. W:85cm, L:90cm

Hanten with sashiko (quilting) which is made in Shonai in Yamagata prefecture in Tohoku District, which is made of hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. It has 2 layers of cloth with sashiko. The collar cloth is also hand-spun and vegetable indigo dye cotton with stripes. In excellent condition. The first half of the 20th century. W:88cm, L:75cm

Hanten, called "suzukake" worn by a Shugen-sha or Yamabushi who practiced Shugendo. Shugendo is the Japanese unique religion combining Buddhism, Shintoism, and worship of nature (mountains). A practitioner (shugen-sha) trained himself in the holy mountains that is ascetic and very painstaking. It is made of hemp and weft of is hand-plied but warp is machine-spun...

Boro futonji whose ground cloth and most of the mending patches are hand-spun and natural indigo dyed cotton. It used to be a futon cover so that it still has cotton dust. Late 19th to mid 20th century. 63cm x 144cm

Sakiori sodenashi (vest) whose weft is cotton strips recycled from old indigo dye kimono. warp is asa (hemp) yarn. It has beautiful mixed vegetable indigo color. In good condition but has some wear. The first half of the 20th century. 43cm x 75cm

Sakiori sodenashi (vest) handwoven of cotton strips recycled from old kimono for weft and asa (hemp) yarn for warp. It has beautiful mixed color of indigo, brown, purple etc. In good condition. The first half of the 20th century. W:48cm, L:73cm

Sodenashi (vest) with very fine sashiko　which is from Shonai region in Yamagata prefecture in Tohoku district. It is made of two layers of cotton dyed with vegetable indigo. In good condition. The first half of the 20th century. 48cm(hem) x 68cm