This is a wooden sculpture of Daikoku-sama or Daikokuten, one of the seven Japanese gods who bring luck. He is standing on the straw rice bags, holding a lucky hammer in one hand and a big sack on the shoulder. He is the god of agriculture or fertility. 18 or 19th century. In good condition. Height:13.5cm Base:5.7cm x 6.2cm

This is a rug made of wool felt with shibori. It was used for "sencha" tea ceremony. It has hand-spun cotton lining. It has many mending, patches and small moth holes. Made in central Asia. 19th century. 135cm x 220cm

This is a yogi, a kind of futon in the shape of kimono. The outside cloth is asa (hemp) and the lining is cotton katazome ( stencil-dye ) and asa cloth. All the cloth are hand-woven and vegetable dyed. It is stuffed with "okuso" which is the hemp wastes produced in the making of hemp threads. In the cold region, such as Tohoku, cotton is very precious as it can not grow so that "okuso" was stuffed instead of cotton. It is very heavy...

This is a futonji made of hand-spun cotton dyed with natural indigo. It has motif of "orizuru", cranes made of origami, which is hand-drawn with tsutsugaki. It is one of the resist dyeing techniques which is free-hand drawing with a cone-shaped tool using rice paste for resist. It has a green cotton lining which is also hand-spun and vegetable dyed. In good condition but has some color faded parts and a hole in the lining. Late 19th to early 20th century. 164cm x 184cm

This is a banner of "Hachiman shrine" with a wooden box. It is written, "It was dedicated to the shrine on the festive day in September in Meiji 26, 1894". In good condition. 38cm x 66cm ( without tassel ) The length of the tassel:65cm

This is a juban ( under kimono ) made of a few kinds of silk, one is pongee silk with beni itajime shibori ( board-clamped dyeing with safflower ). The silk crepe and the pongee silk with katazome are used for the collar and the hem. In good condition except for the moth bites in the hem which has thick cotton lining. The both sleeves are lost. The last photo shows how to dye beni itajime-zome in old days. The latter half of the 19th century. 62cm x 145cm

This is a hakama which is handwoven of kuzu fiber for wefts and cotton threads for warps. Kariginu and hakama are now worn by Shinto priests in ceremonial occasions. The kuzu fiber had been worn since ancient time, however a few of it is produced in Kakegawa in Shizuoka prefecture these days. In good condition except for some moth bites, wear and rifts. Hakama length: 85cm

This is a set of kariginu and hakama which are handwoven of kuzu fiber for wefts and cotton threads for warps. Kariginu used to be a casual wear of the court nobles since Heian period ( ca. the end of 8th to the early 11th century ), but originally it was worn at the hunting ( kari ), so it is called Kariginu. Kariginu and hakama are now worn by Shinto priests in ceremonial occasions...

This is a Shonai-obi which was made in Shonai region in Yamagata prefecture in Tohoku. Shonai-obi is handwoven of cotton threads for warps and old paper strips for wefts. The warps have beautiful natural indigo colors. Late 19th to early 20th century. In good condition. 26.5cm x 3m56cm

This is a furoshiki ( wrapping cloth ) made of recycled cotton cloth. These cloth was made by Kurume kasuri weavers union in 1903 ( Meiji 36 ) when Kurume kasuri ( in Fukuoka prefecture in Kyushu ) won the first prize at the Fifth National Industrial Exposition. In good condition except for two small holes. 98cm x 98cm

This is a pair of lions which are stone carved. In excellent condition. H:9cm, L:9.5cm, W:3.8cm

This is an asa ( hemp ) boro futonji. The ground cloth as well as mending patches are handwoven and natural indigo dyed asa cloth. The ground asa with check has thick and rough texture. Late 19th to early 20th century. 88cm x 120cm