Catalog (419)

Two pieces of urumi-zome cloth which are made of hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. Urumi-zome is katazome (stencil-resist-dye) imitating shibori-zome (tie-dye) and it requires more process than common katazome to make blurring like shibori. Both have rips but other part of the cloth is not weak. The right one has a patch in the back. The second half of the 19th century. Right one:75cm x 126cm, Left one:65cm x 126cm

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. This one is made of asa (hemp) and both warp and weft are hand-plied. Red stamps of holy places are much faded but the kanji character read "Omine-san" that is located in southern Nara prefecture and a par...

Kohai, a halo made of metal (copper). Very little bit of gold plate is left. 19th century. L:38.5cm, W:13cm

A fragment of cotton cloth with tsutsugaki turtle and crane design which is an auspicious motif. The cloth is hand-spun cotton and natural dye. It is probably a fragment of nobori (banner). It has calligraphy in one of the hems, but not readable. In good condition. The first half of the 19th century. 32cm x 74.5cm

Han-juban (short under kimono) made of hand-spun cotton and katazome (stencil-resist-dye) and shibori (tie-dye) pattern which are vegetable indigo dye. Shibori is made in Yokote in Akita prefecture. Late 19th to early 20th century. 56cm x 59cm

Uma-gake (horse cover) made of hand-spun cotton and has hand-drawn tsutsugaki design whose motifs are hyotan (gourd), tassel and kanji letters. Letters can be either the place or horse's name. This colorful one was used for a festival or a ceremony. It has red cotton lining. In excellent condition. 19th century. 31.5cm x 2m36cm The last image is one hint how uma-gake was used from the woodblock print, ukiyo-e by Katsushika Hokusai (1760～1849).

Amazing boro which used to be noragi (work wear). It is made of many fragments of vegetable indigo dye and hand^spun cotton cloth. It is from cold areas such as Tohoku or Japan Sea Side where cotton could not be cultivated and cotton cloth for kimono was expensive so that people bought fragments which were brought from warm areas such as Shikoku , Kandsai or Chubu districts. The second half of the 19th century. Measurement: Approx. 160cm x 150cm

Cotton cloth with tsutsugaki flower motifs which is hand-spun and vegetable indigo dye. Originally it might have been used as 'yutan' (cover for drawers or a chest) with crests, however this one is used for futon cover as it has cotton dusts in the back. In excellent condition except for a minor beige stain in the white part. The second half of the 19th century. 160cm x 65cm

Shima-cho, a sample book of cotton stripes with 182 fragments which are mostly hand-spun and vegetable dye. The book is "daifuku-cho", a record book of a merchant. It has the age Keio 2nd, 1866. 11 pages with fragments. The second half of the 19th century. 16cm x 22cm

A sample book of cotton stripes with 352 fragments in 29 pages which are handspun and vegetable indigo dye. The name of the owner: 南島隈衛、Minamishima Kumaei. Meiji 8 (1876), Shinano (Nagano prefecture). In good condition. 19.5cm x 11cm x 2cm

Baby's ceremonial kimono made of asa whose warp and weft are hand-plied. It looks choma (ramie) than taima (hemp), however it is not proven till it is looked by a microscope. Child's or baby's kimono was recycled from adult's and so did this one. It has some stains. The folded seam in the body is unseamed. The second half of the 19th century. 96cm x 115cm

Shimacho with more than 545 fragments which are mostly hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. Some of them are silk or colored yarn are also silk. Shima means stripes in Japanese but also means an island. Cotton textiles were imported from south Asian countries from mid 16th century and the were called "shima momen", cotton textiles from islands. Kasuri or check patterns were also included in shima (stripes). It has kanji characters "安政 4，Ansei 4" 1857, very late Edo period. The book h...

Nirayama-kasa which was worn by samurai when they practiced artillery. It is made of washi (Japanese handmade paper) yarn and black urushi painted outside and kakishibu inside. It has hand-painted wave and bamboo design with gold but faded much. Nirayama-kasa was made in Ansei (1854~1860), very late Edo period. It was used in Kanto area, not in Kansai area, according to the "Kinsei Fuzokushi" written by Morisada Manko around mid 19th century. Generally in good condition but has some wear. W:50.5...

Uchishiki which is one of temple decorations put under the altar. This one is made of "hangiri" (pants), which is one of No costumes. It is made of blue ground silk satin with "hiun and uroko" (flying cloud and fish scale) design with gold treads. It has kanji letters "Meiji 5 (1873)"in the back, however it is the date when it was dedicated, so the age of the cloth might have been from late Edo period. Real gold thread is woven for the design. In good condition except for some whitish stains in ...

Furoshiki made of handspun cotton and natural brown dye. It has family crest and katazome asanoha (hemp leaf) and check design. Generally, in good condition but it has some brown color faded parts. It has brown cotton belt for hangong in the back. 19th century. 128cm x 132cm

A bag made of deer skin which coins were put in. The money distributed in civil society was mostly coins in Edo period. Paper moneys were issued in Meiji period (1868~1912) All hand-sewn and in excellent condition. The first half of the 19th century. L:65cm, w:24cm

Ema, a wooden pictorial offering on which writing one's wishes. This one is rare one with miniature iron swords which belong to Fudo Myoo (Cetaka). It has writings, "Fudo Myoo", " Ohshu, Sukagawa Nakamachi". It is the place in Fukushima prefecture in Tohoku district. In good condition. The first half of the 19th century. L:47cm, W:28cm

Kurume kasuri futonji (bedding) with geometric pattern. Kurume kasuri was invented by Inoue Den around 1800, a woman lived in Kurume in Fukuoka prefecture in Kyushu. This futonji is made of hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. Weaving of Kurume kasuri changed from handloom to machine weaving around 1883, so it may be woven before 1883. In excellent condition Late 19th century. 130cm x 144cm