Japanese antique fukusa, a gift cover embroidered with "The Old Couple of Takasago" on wool (rasha, felt like), padded and lined with orange crepe silk, Meiji period (1868-1912).

The story of the old couple, Jo and Uba, came from the Noh play, Takasago, which was written during the Muromachi period (1336-1573) by Zeami. Jo and Uba were spirits who resided in an old pine tree which was two trees that grew together over the years...

A fabulous early Meiji era silk fukusa with two cranes, pine trees and the brilliant sun, all symbols of longevity and good fortune. Techniques used to create this wonderful fukusa were yuzen resist dying, sumi-e hand painting, free-hand embroidery, and gold foil couching. The cranes’ crests were created with tiny hand embroidered knots...

Beautiful art work of Tosa Mitsutoki* embroidered with a theme from the Noh play "Takasago" on an antique fukusa, a Japanese gift cover. The signature, seal and other characters are embroidered. To find a signature on a fukusa from this period (late Edo) is very rare; in fact, I have never seen one. The characters (at the bottom left side) read "e-dokoro azukari" which is the title for the head of the Imperial Painting Bureau...

There is no visible image of God in Japanese Shinto religion. For this reason, people find the spirit of God in their surroundings, especially in nature. In the noh play “Takasago”, an old couple is seen together on the beach of Takasago (today’s Hyogo prefecture) sweeping pine needles under the trees. The old man Jo and old woman Uba are the spirits of the pine trees that were grown in Takasago and Sumiyoshi. The two trees are located far away but they are together with their spirits...

The pine, bamboo and plum blossoms are all auspicious motifs found in nature. The evergreen pine symbolizes the strength and devotion of men; plum blossoms are the purity, subtle beauty and inner strength of women. Bamboos are often used to describe the personality of men and women; for example, a person being as straight (honest) as bamboo, it could also mean flexible (bendable) to a large extent...

Old Japanese nobori banner, a spectacular wall hanging decor piece, circa 1920-1940. Dyed on thick cotton is the farewell scene of *Kusunoki Masashige with his son, Masatsura at Sakurai station. The scroll handed to his son is a will written for the family before he headed to the last battle.

This type of picturesque banner has been used for the Japanese Boy’s Day since late Edo period. Some are still made today but the quality has changed; most of the new noboris are printed...

Antique Japanese Fukusa (gift cover), an old Chinese koto player by a waterfall. Embroidered on silk satin, lined with soft crepe silk, circa 1800s. 27 1/2" x 30 1/2"

A large cloud moves in and stirs the air in the forest. Water falls to the river as if it were falling from the sky and ripples it to shore. The resonance of the koto breaks the silence of the forest. The design on this fukusa is likely to have come from one of the old Chinese poems...

This is a Japanese Nishijin obi made in exceptionally high quality. The obi is old but almost in perfect condition. It is beautiful to look at even without using a magnifying glass. The soft colors have an earth tone and the use of the dyed threads tells us that this is a superior work of Kyoto Nishijin. The scenery is of the mountains of Kyoto but if you look closely, you might notice that there is a foreign look to some of the structures. The size of each structure is 1" to 2.5"...

Daimyo hikeshi shozoku: Samurai firefighter's wool jacket with a silk velvet collar; the crest and design are couched with gold leaf thread (wrapped around silk thread), chest protector and belt. Excellent, clean condition with some holes and damages in velvet collar...

Very attractive Japanese Yogi (bed comforter) with a pattern of chrysanthemums and scrolling vine, rice paste resist Katazome stencil dye. The cotton is not as thick as the other yogi. Excellent condition, It is an another "tsukurioki" (it had not been used after it was made - t just sit in the storage as a spare bedding for guests. One of the photo shows where the cotton wadding was taken out before the shipment. The seam at the center of the liner was opened. This will be left open ope...

Antique Japanese “Yogi” bed comforter, hand-spun cotton with "tsutsugaki" paste resist dye in aizome Japanese indigo dye. The design is auspicious symbol, Sho-Chiku-Bai (pine, bamboo, plums). The shoulder and collar areas are accented with "kasuri" cotton. Excellent condition - no holes on the front except one small L shape cut (3/4"x3/4") on the lower area, some repairs on the liner. Cotton wadding was taken out and cleaned (but not washed). Approximately 57" wide x 77" long, ...

There is no visible image of God in the Japanese Shinto religion. For this reason, people naturally find the spirit of God in their surroundings. From the ancient times, God was said to dwell in pine trees and as a result, we find many Meiji fukusa today that are decorated with pine trees. Many of them have their roots in Noh play. Japanese Noh, which was patronized by Muromachi and Edo Shogun, and performed exclusively for the Samurai class, was actually developed from a dance that farmers...

Antique Japanese fukusa (gift cover), Yuzen-zome (paste regist dye) on silk kabe-ori (coarse crepe silk), early 1900s.

For a man to be a well balanced nobleman, there were requirements to be filled. 'Kin Ki Sho Ga', the four accomplishments of gentlemen, were chosen at an early time in China, practicing Kin (koto, music instrument), ki (go, Chinese chess), sho (calligraphy) and ga (painting). Here on this fukusa, with some variation (tea - sencha? was added), are the Six Immortals of the...

Antique Japanese yogi, thickly woven cotton, trimmed and lined with dark aizome (Japanese blue dye). There is a opening in the center of the liner where the cotton wadding was taken out. Excellent condition (old but new). The accent piece (dyed in Katazome, stencil dye) on the collar and shoulder area were added (remove and wash purpose) and slightly soiled. Late Meiji to early Showa. Dimensions: 63" x 68" L

Japanese silk obi, Nagoya style, dyed with the design of Chinese Empress and court attendants in the bamboo grove. It appears that this was converted to current Nagoya style obi (from kimono?). The design of this obi is unique. The wide and narrow area of this obi has different designs on both sides and all seams appear clean. By taking one side of the seam apart, you have a large fabric to work with (double in size with one seam in the center). Making into a tapestry, wall hanging on c...

Japanese late 19th century sleeve from a stage costume. The sleeve has design hand embroidered on front and back. The front has a large pearl with 3 dragon claws showing around the edge. There are also plum blossoms, bamboo leaves and stylized clouds. The reverse has the 3 friends, bamboo, plum and pine with cloud designs. There is also a fabric handle for the piece. This type of sleeve was not actually worn, but held against the body during a performance. The piece measures 24 1/2" wide...

This is an uchikake robe (outer kimono gown) probably used as Kabuki stage costume. The bottom and the openings of sleeves are thickly padded with cotton stuffing. The design is large paulownia leaves and flowers. The exterior and liner are both thick cotton. This robe is old, and a little soiled but the fabrics still have not lost it’s strength. It is an attractive display piece. One small tear (hole) in red liner in the back, some broken couching stitches.

48” (1.22m) wide...

The fabric is thick, silver brocade that appears to be taken from a Japanese woman's old obi from late Edo period. The liner is cotton. During the Edo period (1602-1868), there was a custom that the family of a deceased woman would donate her favorite kimono to the temple; some beautiful temple cloths were created from those wonderful fabrics. The custom was likely to have continued after the period. The design on the fabric is the four benevolent animals of Chinese mythology; qulin, drag...