This is a striking Japanese uchikake, wedding gown. The design on this gown is the sacred pine tree, “Yogo no Matsu”, and golden clouds. Pines in gold or gold clouds are often painted on silk screens or used as the background for a noh play stage. The wall paintings in the Kyoto Nijo castle, Kyoto, which were painted by Kano, Tanyu (1602-74) when he was in his mid 20s, are quite famous.

There is no visible image of God in Shinto religion, the oldest form of religion in Japan...

Silk kimono decorated in yuzen technique with design of flowering stalks. Bamboo, cherry blossom and marigold. On the stalks small beetles crawl up. Outlines of flowers in silver. Inside partly lined with red silk. Japan, Showa period, mid 20th century.
Length 66 in. (168 cm), sleeve to sleeve 49 ½ in. (126 cm).
Few light stains, one torn seam at sleeve (ca. 2 in.), one small moth hole in seam of other sleeve, otherwise good condition.

Japanese uchikake (wedding gown) with a colorful design of flowers and birds done in the Tsujigahana-zome (dye) style. The old Tsujigahana dye technique was used on the clothing of the Muromachi to Momoyama period elites. Inside the tie dyed area, flowers and birds were painted with blue, purple and black ink. Tsujigahana-dye was short lived and completely vanished by the early 17th century because of its extreme complexity...

Hand painted (dyed) long silk roll, long enough to make one full kimono; 14 1/4" wide x 44' long. The designs do not repeat, some are to be matched for the width. The base color is a soft creamy color with a slight color change on the edge. 100 percent pure silk...

Japanese vintage kimono made of navy blue silk with embroidery of chrysanthemums on long vines down the front, and branches with cherry blossoms on the sleeves. The backside has a large, beautiful bunch of embroidered chrysanthemums and cherry blossoms cascading down with two small birds in flight. The collar is lined with a charming fabric of dragons, flowers, and oriental designs. Size: 53.5" height, 47.5" width

Japanese Wedding Gown with embroideries, some stains. There is no trace of being worn on this Uchikake wedding gown. The outer fabric is white (creamy, light tan) silk and the liner is also high quality silk which makes it very light in weight. There are some color migrations from the embroidery yarns. You can look at it as a bokashi (gradual shading), with the color change right around the embroideries. The one on the left shoulder is visible and the coloring spreads to the front shoulder...

This is an antique men's silk juban, an undergarment worn under a kimono. For today’s standards, it is very odd to see such an extravagant hidden personal item. During the Edo period, which ended in 1868, common people were not allowed to wear silk. The growing economical power of merchants came along with social disorder and corruption. The Tokugawa government issued many sumptuary laws to limit the spending of the general people on luxury items...

Yukata (cotton unlined kimono) with shibori (tie-dye) whose motifs are tomoe (three-way), aboshi (fishing net being dried) and a logo with the character uma (horse). The shibori techniques are: Miura shibori and Ori-nui shibori (folded and stitched). It is hand-sewn and all tie-dye is by hand. Vegetable indigo dyed. In excellent condition. 20th century. 126cm x 131cm

Beautiful peonies on a soft pure silk (sho-kinu, 100 percent silk) kimono roll. Hand dyed design (Yuzen zome) went through to the reverse side. The fabric (marked as Tango chirimen) is treated with some new chemical for easier maintenance, wrinkle free, washable (?), etc. Some designs are dyed to be matched for the wider width. Gentle, pale (smoky) purple color, 14 1/2 wide, full roll (enough to make a kimono).

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

The bouquet of flowers for this stunning silk fukusa was made using yuzen resist dying, free-hand embroidery, and gold surihaku, with gold and silver foil couching applied to create the bow. On the reverse side is a large mons (family crest). Three of the four original silk tassels are still intact. As a decorative item, this fukusa would make a fabulous wall hanging or framed artwork. In excellent condition, we estimate this fukusa to be mid Showa. It measures 26” wide x 29” high...

This tsumugi (raw, knobby silk, similar to tweed) purse was purchased at the well-known Kyoto antique textile shop Nakamura Chingiriya in 1972. It is unused and still has original box. H.6"(15cm) x W.6.25"(16cm.) Snap closes on one side, with eyelet for a hand, shoulder, or waist strap on the other. Indigo dyed folk materials and an elegant purse design make it suitable for kimono or jeans.

This is a beautiful Japanese wedding gown (Uchikake) in high quality; it is soft but hangs well. This wedding gown looks more like a Noh costume. The colors are deep purple and light green in a gold background. The gold is not as shiny as shown in the photos unless it is placed under a bright light. The gown was made in the famous Nishijin textile district of Kyoto, Japan and the gown in this quality is very difficult to find in today's market...

Five pieces of cotton diaper with Sekka shibori pattern which is one kind of clamp-board dye. They are all unused and in excellent condition. Hand^sewn in ring shapes. 20th century. 34cm x 63cm

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

Japanese silken kimono with bright shades of orange, goldenrod, and tan in a mist pattern, with triangular patterned silk panels and military style buttons in front. It is lined with pretty ivory silk with light pink grapes and grape leaves. Taisho period (1912-1925) Size: 35" h eight, 49.5" width

Makanai which is a kimono worn at home after work in the Nanbu region, where is the east part of Aomori prefecture. It is made of hemp cloth whose wefts and warps are hand-plied and lightly vegetable indigo dyed. The lining is machine-spun cotton...

Beautiful Japanese Wedding gown. The measurements are 52" wide and 73 1/1" long. The colors are red, blue, purple, green and orange. The condition is excellent, as new as it can get. Please e-mail or call me for questions.

Girl's meisen kimnono with asanoha (hemp leaf) pattern, whose warps and wefts are stencil-resist dye. It has tucked seams in the shoulder and the body, however it has originally general size of the woman's kimono. In good condition. Mid 20th century. 114cm x 113cm

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

Ensemble of 6 pieces of vintage jackets. The are hand sewn silk, probably from the 1970's (+/-). Dimensions and condition in enlargement text.

Early Showa period Japanese black silk woman's formal kimono with long sleeves decorated on the bottom of the front, back, and interior with a continuous ukiyo-e scene featuring commoners engaged in various activities in a village. Five family mon (crests) are at the shoulder area. The lining is red. Circa 1930s. Measures 48 1/2" sleeve tip to sleeve tip and about 49 1/2" long. Very good overall condition. There are some areas of pigment transference and there are a few tiny foxing spots. ...

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

Thin wool unlined kimono with katazome dots pattern. The wool kimono was made in 1950s. The ground is off-white and dots are red. It looks it was barely worn and in excellent condition. 1950s. 130cm x 154cm

Asa (hemp）kimono with katazome (stencil-resist-dye) whose wefts and warps are hand-plied. Dyed with vegetable indigo. In excellent condition except for two rips in the center back (7mm and 5mm). The third quarter of the 20th century. 126cm x 134cm

This is an antique men's silk juban, an undergarment worn under a kimono. For today’s standards, it is very odd to see such an extravagant hidden personal item.

During the Edo period, which ended in 1868, common people were not allowed to wear silk. The growing economical power of merchants came along with social disorder and corruption. Tokugawa government issued many sumptuary laws to limit the spending of the general people on luxury items. One way to avoid the punishment was to...

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"

The Japanese hakama is pleated skirt-like pants that is worn over a full length kimono. Hakama pants originated as an outer garment to protect a samurai warrior’s legs from brush when riding a horse. Today, the hakama is worn as formal attire for Japanese wedding ceremonies (see last photo), dances, and martial arts (specifically, black belt students and Juijitsu practictioners). Black and white striped silk, it measures 36" long, waist to hem.

More about the Hakama:
The...

Bashofu kimono hand-woven of ito-basho, which is a family of banana tree, for both wefts and warps. The blue stripe 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. In good condition except for a few brownish stains. W:120cm, L:117cm

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

Boro asa noragi (field wear) made of hand-plied asa (hemp). It has indigo dyed cotton cloth in the buttom and some mending patches. The first half of the 20th century. 63cm x 90cm

A roll of asa (hemp) kaya cloth whose wefts and warps are hand-plied and dyed with vegetable indigo. In excellent condition. The first half of the 20th century. Approx. 34cm x 18m35cm

This is a beautiful Japanese obi. The style of obi is maru obi which is the most formal obi in recent years. It is made out of one long fabric that is folded in half. The dimensions of the obi are 12 3/4" wide and 13'3" (159") long. It is a large obi but very soft and light for its size – it weighs 3.5 pounds. The colors are all gentle including the gold threads. The design includes flowers (chrysanthemums and others), bamboo and a palace wagon over the multi layers of fans. This is a ...

Cotton kimono with katazome (stencil-resist-dye) pattern butterfly crest and dancer. It is made from cloth for tenugui (towel). It has rather thick texture and in good condition except for some dirty line in the neck. The first half of the 20th century. 118cm x 131cm

Unique Japanese Uchikake (wedding gown), embroidered in thick light blue silk, the liner is red silk without padding except at the bottom hem. The embroidery and gold couching (some silver) work are all done by hand. The pattern is from ancient Chinese "Shokko nishiki". The colors of silk looks different on different parts of the gown. We laid the gown under the sun light when we took extra photos. The light changed everything. It picked up the gold from gold threads (threads are wrapped in...

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. They learned not only kimon...

Cotton futonji with minimal shibori design whose technique is "Nui-shibori (folded and stitched). It is made in Asamai in Akita prefecture where shibori has been practiced since late 18th century and it was most prosperous in the second half of the 19th century, however it declined rapidly because of the machine spinning and chemical dye developed. The local people are trying to preserve the Asamai shibori technique now. In excellent condition. The first half of the 20th century. 96cm x 156cm ...

Boro momohiki (panta) made of indigo dyed cotton and has mending patches. The first half of the 20th century. W: 80cm (flexble) L: 90cm

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. Cotton was expensive, so richer people had more cotton yarn which made the texti...

Rare old Japanese cotton norleen with three 3 fish from Mutual Bank of Kure in Hiroshima. This was a gift to clients. In very good condition, it measures 40 inches x 24.5".

This is a beautiful Japanese wedding gown (uchikake). Featured on brownish orange (when you looked at it where the gold does not take over, the basic color looks more like brownish red) silk are flocks of white cranes and stylized water in roundels of gold. The tone of the gold is rich but soft. The design is unique, elegant, artistic and well executed with excellent workmanship. The condition is almost new. The color is ligher than shown in the photos but it can change to soft to strong depen...

Beautiful hand painted (dyed) iris on soft 100 percent silk. Some designs are dyed to be matched for the wider width. This is probably from mid Showa, 40 to 60 years old, no color loss. The spots and the design that run sideway are part of the woven design. Full roll and good quality silk. I will get the measurement.

Japanese kasuri kimono made in high skilled workmanship throughout, excellent condition. 49 1/2" wide x 53” long, shoulder length 24 1/2"

Vintage Japanese uchikake (wedding kimono) embroidered in gold and white flying cranes set against a brilliant red background with black and white flowers. Mid-20th century. The lining is a shimmery red. Very good overall condition. Measures about 6 feet in length by about 4 feet across. From a Casa Grande, Arizona collection.

Kasuri (Japanese ikat) roll with rabbits, flowers and geometric designs. The measurements: 14 1/4" width x 454"

This kasuri kimono appears to be hand woven (to my eyes) and another Tsukurioki kimono in new condition. Tsukuri-oki means that it has been left unused after it was made into a kimono. This was caused by the drastic changes in their clothing especially after the World War II. In modern days, Kasuri kimonos have been associated with old women from the country-side, definitely for the non-fashionable group. These kasuri kimono are very durable, many were made to be worn as casual work clothes....

An exquisite Japanese silk haori with a wintery skiing scene featuring tickets from Tokyo to Akaura and from Kyoto to Ibuki. Made of habutae silk a with woven lining, it can be worn or displayed with either side facing outward. The outside is solid black with 5 mons (family crests). The inside back panel’s weaving includes the use of varying shades of taupe, bronze, gold, black, and silvery gray silk metallic lacquered threads. It is in excellent condition and measures 51" across the shoulders...

Furoshiki (wrapping cloth) with owner's name, made of asa (hemp) whose warps and wefts are hand-plied. It has 4 mending patches with same cloth as the ground. It has un-dyed cotton cloth for reinforcement in the middle and has sashiko. Used but in excellent condition. The first half of the 20th century. 132cm x 138cm

Vintage summer hitoe kimono made of a silk and hemp(asa) weave. It has a beautiful print pattern of orange blossoms and paulowni blossoms in blue/green, yellow, and silver. It would have been worn over the juban, the under robe, which would have been white to bring out the colors of the robe. It measures 61" long 51" wide. Showa period, 1950-1970.

A sashi (obi) made of plain weave silk with katazome design whose motifs are Edo Hikeshi (fireman) such as hanten (jacket) with brigade's marks, matoi (brigade's symbol) etc. Lining is twill weave black silk cloth. In excellent condition. The first half of the 20th century. 31cm x 4m12cm

Silk meisen lined kimono with geometric pattern in blue, white, pink, green and black. Both warps and wefts kasuri yarn are paper stencil dye. In good condition. Mid 20th century. W:124cm, L:152cm

Healthy Japanese babies adorn this bright red juban. Made of light weight silk with equally light weight white silk lining, this woman's juban measures 48" across the shoulders (including sleeves) and 50" long. In very good condition, it dates early Showa, 1930, though the collar appears to be newer. This is a very cheerful under garment and would be a fun piece to wear as an outer garment.

Kasuri Kimono "te-ui ai ji e-gasuri koushigara kimono" (Hand-woven indigo dye picture ikat lattice [checked] pattern kimono.) Yanagi Yoshitaka (7.25.1911 ~ 8.20.2003) Cotton, ikat weave. L.60 x W.48” ca. 1955 Yanagi Yoshitaka was a well-known Japanese weaver and textile educator. He was the nephew of Folk Craft Movement (Mingei Undou) founder Yanagi Soetsu, and was a founding member of Shin-Kougei Bu (New Crafts Club) along with his uncle and the potter Hamada Shoji. His entire lif...

Sakiori coat whose wefts are strips from old vegetable indigo dye cotton cloth and warps are hemp yarn. Wefts are fine strips comparing with other sakiori items. The short sleeves are for ease of movement, as it is "hamagi", worn at the seaside. In good condition except for two mending patches. The first half of the 20th century. W:85cm, L:92cm

Silk meisen lined kimono with geometric pattern in red, green, yellow, black and gray. Both wefts and warp kasuri yarn are paper stencil dye. Mid 20th century. In good condition. W:126cm, L:145cm

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

The condition of this Japanese Wedding Gown is new. The measurements are: 52" x 72L

Please see my other Uchikake gowns.

Old Japanese Silk Temple Cloth #2, Uchishiki
Measurements: 26 1/2" W x 23 " L without the white cloth area
Liner: Paper like fabric
Age: 1900-1940
Condition: Front side is in new condition

A very rare 5 panel bride’s noren. The bottom of the curtain has a lovely delicate aqua wash. Traditionally the bride would hang this curtain in the doorway for about 2 weeks after she was married to announce that she was a member of the new family and that she has taken her husband’s family crest. There are a few minor age spots in the cream/off white area, but otherwise the curtain is in excellent condition. The main techniques used in this hand loomed silk curtain are sumi e painting...

Stunning Japanese black satin silk obi with a woven pattern featuring shi-shi lions. In very good condition, the back side is solid black. Measures 12" wide by 129" long. Dates Showa Period.