Introduction

Japan’s textile patterns are among the most beautiful in the world. They have endless appeal. They are also noted for their spiritual and symbolic aspects. Each pattern, which has been passed down over many years, is deeply meaningful.

The items featured are all from the collection of the Kyoto Antique Fabric Preservation Society, a non-profit organization (NPO). I am pleased to be able to show you not only kimono but also obi (sashes), haneri (removable decorative collars on undergarments), obi-dome (obi brooches) and other elements of Japanese dress.

Not all the examples of kimono, obi, obi-dome and haneri in the book are old. In order to fully illustrate a given theme, we have presented a mix of old and new. Scattered throughout the book are pieces by young artists.

The patterns are divided according to the four seasons. The season-specific album Saijiki (Literary Calendar) by Midorinomisaki, released on Apple Music in 2015, is a useful reference.

We sincerely hope that through the patterns in the kimono, obi and other pieces shown in this book you will enjoy experiencing one of Japan’s greatest charms—the changing of the seasons—and the seasonal sensibilities cherished by our ancestors.

For each season we have included articles written by specialists in particular areas of textile history. Themes such as the origin of the patterns used in the traditional Japanese drama kabuki and the kimono that color the four seasons in Gion are sure to satisfy readers’ desires to know more about the patterns.

We have also incorporated tourist tips on Kyoto throughout the book, and listed our recommendations for places to view flowers in the four seasons.

As mentioned above, the Kyoto Antique Fabric Preservation Society is an NPO, with its head office in Kyoto. It was established in 2004 with the aim of passing down Japan’s prized costume culture to future generations. Initially, the organization staged exhibitions mainly within Kyoto, but in 2006, starting with an exhibition at the Setagaya Cultural Foundation’s Lifestyle Design Center, items in the collection have been shown at other museums and art galleries.

In 2008, the Kobe Fashion Museum hosted Cheerful Hearts: Kimono for Outings in the Taisho & Showa Eras, and in the same year the Osaka Museum for Housing and Living presented an exhibition titled Muslin, allowing our collection to be viewed by many people.

In 2009, the society received recognition of its status as an NPO from Kyoto Prefecture and began broadening the scope of its activities. The society does not only collect old objects, it also carries out activities to engage young people and further their knowledge of Japanese design. Since 2010, the organization has held an obi-dome (obi sash brooch) contest aimed at university and vocational school students. We get very excited every time we see the competition entries of Japanese patterns as seen through the eyes of youth.

In 2011, as part of an enterprise supporting Kyoto’s Regional Potential Revival project, the organization launched the Oharame (female peddler) costume survey. As I have discussed in my article on page 230, the female peddler’s costume is unique not only in appearance but also in the way the different components are worn.

It is by looking back into the past as well as toward the future that we exercise our unique characteristics as a Kyoto NPO, amassing anecdotal evidence and continuing, on a daily basis, to gather materials for our collection.

Many of the items featured from the organization’s collection have been donated by citizens of the areas around Kyoto and Osaka. We believe our mission is not only to conserve items such as kimono and obi but to record their owners’ way of life for future generations.

In closing, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the people who have donated their invaluable items along with those who have supported and collaborated with the Kyoto Antique Fabric Preservation Society since its foundation.

Keiko Nitanai

Kyoto Antique Fabric Preservation Society

Tatewaku

立涌

The tatewaku is a Yusoku pattern, that is, a design traditionally worn by Japanese nobility. It comprises pairs of vertical wavy lines, often described as resembling an hourglass, undulating around various motifs. The lines represent the mist that forms above ponds and marshes. The tatewaku is considered a lucky pattern, perhaps symbolizing “rising above.” Many variations of the pattern have been incorporated into formal kimono.

Clouds and a crane are embroidered within the lines of the tatewaku on this Nagoya obi, the obi type most often used today. Partly or fully patterned, one end is folded and sewn in half while the other end is of full width. Both patterns express happiness.

In this beautiful pattern, plum blossoms trail along the lines of the tatewaku.

Peonies

牡丹

The peony, which blooms in late spring, has been justly called the “king of flowers.” It is believed to have been first introduced to Japan from China during the Nara period (710–94). Later, in the Heian period (794–1185), it was cultivated at temples throughout the country, grown at first for its medicinal properties and later for its beauty. In the late Muromachi period (1334–1573), the peony started making an appearance in paintings and sculpture. But it was not until the Edo period (1615–1868) that peonies became all the rage and numerous ornamental varieties were grown. This period also saw the cultivation of a winter blooming variety whose roots and blossoms are protected under canopies of straw.

Love of the peony continues to endure and it has remained a favorite kimono motif up to this day.

In this obi, the peony has the starring role, with sky blue cherry blossoms forming a monochromatic background. This is a chuya obi, a reversible “day and night” obi, that has a less formal reverse side, like this blue and white striped pattern, which can be worn with more casual attire.

This obi, dyed in pastel hues, features the peony surrounded by flowers of the four seasons.

This turquoise tomesode, a formal single-color kimono for married women which is patterned only below the waistline, features contrasting plain and twill weaves.

In this design, a peony is placed in the center among an iris, pink, hydrangeas and other flowers of the four seasons.

A winter flowering peony at Hase-dera temple in Nara Prefecture. Flowers of various colors bloom on both sides of the corridor. They are at their best at the end of January.

Flower Baskets

花かご

For centuries, bamboo baskets (hanakoga) have served utilitarian functions in Japanese daily life, but they are also valued for their beauty, especially those that are less formal and rustic. Baskets are intimately connected to Japanese culture through the time-honored art of flower arrangement (ikebana) and the tea ceremony.

Since olden times, it has been a tradition to pick young plants in early spring. As a result, the flower basket has long been a much-loved motif for spring kimono and obi.

This kimono for a young girl features a dyed flower basket pattern.

This flower basket-patterned obi is from the early Showa period (1926–88). Inside the basket are roses and Japanese wisteria whose vine twines around the handle.

Cherry Blossoms

桜

Although the sakura (cherry blossom) has long been a much-loved motif in Japan, patterns featuring the flower were not popular until more recent times mainly because the cherry blossom season is so short and thus the wearing of kimono bearing the cherry blossom motif is also short. As a flamboyant decoration on costumes for traditional Japanese dance and kabuki theater, however, there is no design more effective, but these costumes are worn for a specific purpose. The general public have generally preferred extremely small sakura patterns, such as little stenciled motifs.

When surveying the comparatively small number of sakura designs, you will see some that feature only single blossoms, while in others branches are laden with blossoms, as in the case of a weeping cherry tree. Sakura may be used in combination with other motifs, such as flowing water as in the sakuragawa (cherry blossom river) design, and atop a raft as in the hana-ikada (floral raft) design. Designs capturing a distant view of sakura were common. The scenery of a sakura-covered Mt. Yoshino shrouded in mist was incorporated into patterns used on semi-formal attire and other garments.

This kimono displays cherry blossoms scattered against a bold checkered background.

This dyed Nagoya obi (see page 8) utilizes a large double cherry blossom design. The Nagoya obi is relatively new (from the 1920s) but is the most-used obi type today, except for ceremonial outfits. Because it is shorter and also asymmetrical (narrow around the waist and widening at the back), it is easier to put on than other types of obi.

This obi-dome brooch, which depicts cherry blossoms, won a prize at the Kyoto Antique Preservation Society's first obi-dome design competition in 2010.

The sprigs of cherry blossom have been embroidered in white on this green Nagoya obi.

There are many places for viewing sakura in Kyoto, but in order to see various types in the one spot, the Hirano-jinja shrine is recommended. The path, which starts at Nishioji-dori street and leads to Kitano Tenman-gu shrine, is lined with countless varieties of sakura.

Wisteria

藤

As described in the Flowering Trees entry of The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon, a tenth-century journal written by a lady-in-waiting to the Empress, “Wisteria blossoms are particularly impressive when they hang long and graceful, with richly colored flowers.” The wisteria at Uji’s Byodo-in temple comes into full bloom exactly in time for the May holiday season. With its flowers of noble purple and white, the wisteria was much prized by people in the Heian period (794–1185) and was often a subject in literary works of the time.

“The wisteria flower ... the vine is twisted and the branch will break,

I call out to someone who has viewed the wisteria from afar and is about to leave.”

—Henjo, Kokinshu: Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times, Spring: 119.

Returning to town after a pilgrimage to Shiga-dera temple in Oumi, some women stopped to see the wisteria flowers at the Kazan-ji temple (Gankeiji temple) where Henjo was chief priest, but left straight away. Henjo then dedicated this song to the women, pretending to address the wisteria and indirectly reprimanding the women for their rushed visit: “Wisteria, wind around them and keep them here, even if your vines may break.”

In this Nagoya obi (see page 8), the wisteria blossoms are woven in red and golden brown.

Peacocks

孔雀

Peacocks are members of the pheasant family. The male’s highly decorative eye-spotted tail covert feathers are the source of two motifs: the whole body of the peacock or the feathers on their own or in combination with flowers or other objects. Peacock designs frequently appeared on homongi (semi-formal attire with patterns that flow over the shoulders, seams and sleeves), furisode (a single woman’s formal kimono with long sleeves and patterns over the entire garment), fukuro-obi (a long formal obi patterned only on one side) and other garments from the late Meiji period (1868–1912), but more particularly in the early Showa era (1926–88). Interesting interpretations of peacocks can be found on fukuro-obi and other items from about 1955.

Apart from their sheer beauty, peacock motifs were well received because of the novelty and popularity of Western design that incorporated them. Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) entered Europe in huge numbers and had a considerable influence on Art Nouveau designs. Those designs re-entered Japan and were subsequently incorporated into kimono, pictures and other media.

In addition, the peacock, which eats noxious and poisonous insects, is considered a symbol of faith. In esoteric Buddhism, the deity Mahamayuri, who is often depicted riding a peacock, is believed to bestow blessings to remove disasters and distress that befall people.

Peacocks fly amongst peonies on this dyed obi from the early Showa period (1926–88).

This obi is embroidered with peacock feathers and peonies.

The design of this omeshi kimono from the early Showa period is composed entirely of peacock feathers. Omeshi is a heavy crepe silk woven with strongly twisted pre-dyed threads created with the ikat tie-dye technique.

Peacock feathers are an extremely popular motif in textile arts and other crafts.

Narcissus

水仙

The narcissus, also known as the daffodil, is familiar to many people as it grows in many parts of the world, although it is said to originally have come from the Mediterranean coast. In China, the narcissus is associated with the Spring Festival celebrations around mid-February. Loved for its sweet-smelling scent, the narcissus often appears in combination with other flowers as the theme for a painting, such as sousei (twin springs: plum and narcissus), san’yu (three friends: plum, bamboo and narcissus) and sankou (three scents: orchid, sweet osmanthus and narcissus).

Clusters of narcissus against a rocky backdrop are also a huge tourist attraction. Despite its considerable popularity, the narcissus motif appears only rarely in a leading role in Japanese traditional clothing. The motif is more often placed inconspicuously among other seasonal flowers.

Here we see the narcissus blooming between chrysanthemums and roses along the seams of a colorful homongi (see page 25).

Birds of Spring

春の鳥

A bewildering variety of birds, large and small, congregating in flocks or singled out as a lone motif, are ubiquitous motifs in all areas of Japanese art. Spring is the breeding season for small birds. It is possible that choosing an obi decorated with small birds at this time of year was common during times of courtship.

Small bird designs feature prominently on obi, kimono and other young women’s items from the early Showa period (1926–88). The small bird patterns from this era were not constrained by the classic designs from the Edo period (1615–1868). Rather, there is an abundance of imaginative, charming designs. “Birds and flowers” was already a standard motif in designs and pictures in Japan. Using Western-style flowers and exchanging native birds for parrots, canaries and such like seems to have met with little resistance.

A parrot perches on a camellia branch on this fukuro-obi (see page 25).

This dyed obi of the early Showa period (1926–88) shows two little birds sitting on the branch of a cherry tree.

A small embroidered bird sitting on a camellia branch decorates a black satin Nagoya obi (see page 8). Many such obi have patterns only in the part that will be most prominent in the bow.

This carved white coral obi-dome brooch features a small bird perched on the branch of a plum tree.

At Kanshu-ji temple in Kyoto’s Yamashina ward, the Himuro pond in the center of the gardens is filled with snowy herons building their nests.

Kusudama

薬玉

Kusudama are bags stuffed with aromatics and medicinal herbs and adorned with decorations such as artificial flowers and five different colored threads. In China, they represented auspicious omens. The Chinese influence on Japan during the Heian period (794–1185) made these items very popular, and around the time of Boys’ Day on May 5, people tied them around their sleeves and hung them from the pillars of their curtained sleeping platforms to cast out malevolence and pray for peace and tranquility. Among the medicinal herbs used in the kusudama were mugwort and iris.

Artificial kusudama soon replaced the original versions, with musk, agarwood, cloves and other aromatics bound up in cotton or glossed silk. Decorated with irises, citrus fruit and other artificial flowers, and with five different colored threads trailing from them, these medicinal bags transformed into fragrant sachets.

The popularity of the kusudama pattern for women’s and children’s clothing and accessories is likely a spillover from those times. The flamboyance of the many flowers and the movement created by the colorful trailing threads made kusudama the perfect motif for adorning Japanese attire.

This girls’ kimono is made of red rinzu, popular during the Edo period and among the most expensive of Japanese silks. Rinzu is a smooth silk with a tone-on-tone figured design. The use of different types of silk threads for the warp and weft adds contrast, texture and luster to rinzu fabric. It is often called "figured silk."

A butterfly and kusudama pattern has been dyed onto this deep purple piece of crepe.

A dyed pattern of kusudama and drums on a girls’ kimono made of red figured rinzu silk (see page 33).

A kusudama made from fabric. Citrus fruit and flowers stand out against the green of the kusudama.

The kusudama on this black satin Nagoya obi (see page 8) is embroidered with chrysanthemums, cherry blossoms and irises grouped around a flower from the tachibana tree, an ornamental orange.

Magnolias

木蓮

In late March and April, when most deciduous trees are still bare in Japan, the buds of the Northern Japanese magnolia (kobushi) burst into bloom. The pure white lotus-like flowers, their six petals faintly tinted pink, send forth a delicate fragrance. The leaves do not appear until later.

Traditionally in art, the magnolia represents feminine sweetness and beauty. The striking flowers have long been an inspiration for Japanese painters, woodblock artists and textile designers. The designs on the kimono here are classic renditions.

Magnolias bloom against a background of sky blue and white on this dyed kimono.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) is embroidered with red and white magnolias.

Ships

船

As Japan is surrounded by sea on all sides, its people have a long-held and deep interest in the sea. Since ancient times, all kinds of ships, from tiny boats carrying firewood to large European vessels, have been of great interest to Japan. As shipping was the main means of transporting goods until the early Meiji era (1868–1912), Japanese-style ships known as kitamae-bune played an important role in conveying commodities from all parts of the country. The Japan Sea coast was a frequently used route for these ships, and models of kitamae-bune and relics of the ports remain in coastal towns. Ships called taru-kaisen were also famous for plying the route from Osaka and Nishinomiya to Edo carrying Nada-no-zaké, saké brewed in Nada in Hyogo Prefecture. The saké was said to have matured and developed its flavor over the course of the sea voyage, further increasing its reputation. This association seems to have created the prevailing image of ships carrying goods of quality.

Ships are a fitting motif for spring, a season of many departures. An early and important pattern for dyeing and weaving is the ship bearing the seven gods of good fortune and their treasures. Images of sailboats were also often used to decorate cloths draped over gifts to ensure auspicious dreams on the second day of the New Year. As a motif for summer kimono, the combination of waterfront and boats makes a frequent appearance. Designs such as boats passing along the waterfront and river vessels surrounded by waves of bush clover can be seen on obi and kimono, as the boat motif imparts a feeling of coolness. To “set sail” and “pull into port” are both expressions full of promise. Used for celebratory occasions, a sailboat in full sail is a joyous design.

The bow of a sailing ship is cresting the waves on this white satin obi.

Colorful sails grace the ship on this black satin obi. Early European sailing ships also featured on the front panels of tomesode (page 12) with black backgrounds. See pages 196–9.

The sailing ship and fish design on this obi is taken from an illustration in The Arabian Nights, a collection of ancient Middle Eastern and South Asian stories and folktales.

This sailing boat obi-dome brooch is made from water buffalo horn.

The jikkoku-bune and sanjukkoku-bune passenger boats of Fushimi were used as transport vessels until the end of the Meiji period. They depart from Bentenbashi bridge and travel to the Misu Lock Gate Museum, where they turn around to pass the Benten-bashi bridge and enter the Uji-gawa river tributary. From these boats, it is possible to get a view of the city of Fushimi and experience the atmosphere of the end of the Edo period, if only momentarily.

Cherry Blossom Viewing Parties

花の宴

At the same time that the blossom of the sakura was becoming an established motif for kimono and obi, scenes of blooming cherry trees were also being incorporated into designs. Entire cherry blossom viewing sites were depicted on garments, with the mist-shrouded hills of Mt. Yoshino and its sakura being one example. In the third year of the Keichou era (1598), shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi launched the Daigo Hanami cherry blossom viewing party at Daigo-ji temple, draping bunting around the site. Together with the sakura and the crowds of people who had gathered, particularly the women in their finery, the bunting formed an important part of the scenery’s composition. Here, the large cherry blossoms are dyed in pastel tones against the backdrop of a curtain hung for the viewing party.

It is not only the cherry blossoms themselves but also the parties held to view them that have been adopted as textile motifs.

Roses

薔薇

Roses are known by many other names in Japanese and can be expressed through two different sets of Chinese characters. 「荊棘」 is the generic term for trees with thorns, and although it was known since ancient times, the rose, written as 「薔薇 」, came to play the lead role in the textile arts as the Taisho period ended in the late 1920s and the Showa era began. The history of the rose design in kimono and obi patterns can be traced through two distinct phases. In the Taisho and early Showa periods, the rose was incorporated into designs featuring groups of classical flowers, thus subtly beginning to take the place of the peony. Designs featuring roses had an air of chic about them that must have seemed very fresh and novel at the time. In this period, rose designs leaned toward the realistic and natural. The rose’s second phase began post-1955, when the depiction of roses changed dramatically. The rose itself became the main image and its designs captured the flower’s characteristics in the manner of a work of art.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) dates from the fourth decade of the Showa period (1955–64).

Here, a rose has been dyed onto a piece of muslin.

This dyed Nagoya obi combines pink roses and running water against a light orange background.

This rose-patterned kimono comes from the fifth decade of the Showa period (1965–74).

This comb and kogai, a type of wooden hairpin, are decorated with rose designs.

In the language of flowers, roses have different symbolic meanings depending on their color. Red signifies love and white respect, while a pink rose symbolizes elegance and a warm heart.

Shells and Kaioke

貝・貝桶

Shells are used individually on textiles or incorporated into the kaibu-mon pattern as part of seaside scenery. The shell most frequently depicted is the clam. This is a fitting motif for obi worn around the time of the Girls’ Festival (March 3 of the lunar calendar).

With the insides of their shells painted with delicate pictures, clams were also used as pieces in the game of kaioi, a memory game in which the shells are placed face down and players attempt to turn over two matching pairs. The container used for storing the kaioi shells is called a kaioke. Among higher social ranks, a kaioke was included as part of a bride’s household items and was also considered part of the furnishings for a court noble or feudal lord. As such, kaioke also appear as motifs on traditional garments.

This fukuro-obi (see page 25) is decorated with a clam shell and cloud design. The insides of the shells reveal colored leaves and pinks.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) is embroidered with clam shells in which chrysanthemums and tachibana (see pages 74–5) are nestled.

A ceramic obi-dome brooch in the shape of two kaioke shell containers.

Butterflies

蝶

In The Tale of Genji, Shikibu Murasaki describes the magnificent changing of the four seasons at Rokujo-in estate. In the Butterflies chapter, there is an outdoor scene in which court women dressed as butterflies and birds and bearing flowers, all symbols of spring, dance and Lady Murasaki and Empress Akikonomu present readings and dances for the court.

At the beginning of the Kamakura period (1185–1333), the butterfly was used as a crest for, first, the Taira clan and then other samurai families. It is thought that due to the butterfly’s rebirth in the form of a beautiful insect after its period in a cocoon, it was particularly popular with samurai aspiring to battle as it served to illustrate man’s immortality.

The versatility of the butterfly as a design motif makes it particularly popular with craftspeople. The butterfly works equally well as a single large design or as small motifs scattered across fabric. It is used to decorate garments such as the furisode, a long-sleeved kimono worn by young, unmarried women (see page 25), and the fukuro-obi, on which 60–100 percent of one side may be patterned. The patterns on the butterfly’s wings are often executed in different colors. The butterfly can also be paired with flowers to create an image with a sense of movement.

A butterfly pattern is emboidered on this light blue kimono made from rinzu silk (see page 33). The contrast between the foreground and background is highlighted by the different threads used.

This dyed double-sided obi features a butterfly and roses against a light apricot-colored background.

This piece of rinzu silk (see page 33) from a nagajuban under-kimono (see page 57), is decorated with a butterfly pattern.

Long ago, having a design embroidered onto a kimono was an easy way of breathing new life into it. Embroidery is a time-honored art in Kyoto.

Spools of Thread

糸巻

Spools of thread, familiar tools for women, often appear as motifs on traditional garments. Various kinds of spool are depicted, from the flat square type with a hollow center to the three-dimensional type used for weaving, and even spools used for kite flying. The spool of thread mentioned in the kabuki play Proper Upbringing of a Young Lady at Mount Imose is called an odamaki. It is positioned on its side while a thread of spun linen is wound onto the reel. It sometimes has a shaft attached. In kabuki theater, the odamaki is an important prop in setting the scene. It is also linked with the legend of red thread that binds lovers to one another, thus spools of thread also indicate the wish for love and marriage. Odamaki is also the Japanese name for aquilegia, a plant in the Ranunculacae family. Its other name in Japanese is itokurisou, which roughly translates as “thread reeling plant.”

This black satin Nagoya obi (see page 8) features a spool embroidered with peonies and a flower arabesque.

This decorative crepe collar is embroidered with a pattern of spools, temari handballs (see pages 260–1) and hemp leaves (see pages 244–5).

Cherries

桜桃

After the sakura have finished blossoming, the trees are covered in cherries, signaling the approach of summer. This is a Nagoya obi (see page 8) made from muslin and dyed with a pattern of cherries, Chinese vetch (bottom left; a herb commonally used in traditional Chinese medicine) and dandelions (top left). Muslin is the generic term for fine, plain woven woolen fabric, the use of which became widespread for kimono, nagajuban (full-length kimono-shaped robes worn by both men and women beneath the outer main kimono to keep the outer kimono clean, and usually coordinated with it), and other items of dress during the late Meiji period (1868–1912). In particular, its dyeing potential enabled all kinds of designs. A multitude of original patterns, which would have been impossible to create on silk, were thus born. Wool was also used for garments but, unfortunately, has the drawback of being attractive to insects as a food source, which makes it difficult to conserve, and only a few examples remain that are still in good condition.

“Live in simple faith just as this trusting cherry flowers, fades and falls.”

—Kobayashi Issa (trans. Peter Bellenson), Japanese Haiku, 1955.

Flowers of the Four Seasons

四季の花

Some traditional garments feature flowers from all four seasons so that they may be appropriate for most of the year. Although this takes away the pleasure of selecting a kimono to suit the season, it allows the wearer to use it all year round apart from in summer. Moreover, combining the flowers from all four seasons on one kimono and one obi creates an utterly gorgeous look and the luxuriousness of it is often irresistible. When examining such kimono, it is fascinating to note the techniques used to create compositions of different seasonal flowers. The most common method is to position patterns one over the other from shoulder to hem in the manner used for kosode, a basic T-shaped robe with a looser fit than a kimono and with a small sleeve opening, tied with a narrow obi sash. Other ways to show flowers include grouping them inside fans or square boards used for poetry; using clouds or mist to separate them from the rest of the background and, as in the case of a lattice-patterned formal tomesode (see page 12), positioning them inside a frame. In instances where a strictly floral design would be too simple, waves, treasures and other classical motifs are worked in to achieve a more interesting overall effect.

In this dyed long-sleeved furisode kimono (see page 25) from the early Showa era (1926–88), the flowers of the four seasons are arranged beautifully and include pine, plum, bamboo, narcissus, peony and chrysanthemum.

This tomesode, a formal woman’s kimono, often patterned on a black background below the waistline (see page 12), is decorated with the flowers of the four seasons placed inside ceiling squares.

Tightly grouped camellias and irises are embroidered on fans on this Nagoya obi (see page 8).

This light brown obi features an arrangement of camellias, chrysanthemums, peonies and plum blossoms.

The Hiraoka Hachiman-gu shrine on the Shuzan-kaido road in Umegahata, Ukyo ward. The ceiling on the inner temple dates from the end of the Edo period (1615–1868) and features 44 panels decorated with flowers and plants and edged in black lacquered frames. The shrine is also known for the beauty of its camellias and fall leaves.

Stripes for Spring

春の縞

In the early years of the Showa period (1926–88), designs that paired vertical stripes with large floral patterns became popular. The stripes were usually in brilliant colors, such as red or green, and flowers such as lilies and chrysanthemums were boldly positioned against them. These designs were particularly popular in spring.

The fabric used for these kimono was loosely woven meisen silk, which was often used for everyday garments in olden times as it was made from threads culled from cheap cocoons. Meisen is one of the Japanese silks fabricated by weaving pre-dyed yarns utilizing the tie-and-resist ikat (kasuri) technique to decorate it. This involves stretching threads on a frame, binding certain areas of the threads before dyeing to create a pattern and then weaving the fabric. Because the threads are not perfectly aligned, the designs created have uneven edges, resulting in a blurred effect. Meisen silk was a popular fabric for casual kimono from 1920 to 1950, partly because it was more affordable and partly because its designs were regarded as innovative and adventurous. Yet cheaper versions of the fabric were made by eliminating the pre-dyeing of threads and simply stenciling the pattern onto the fabric. The example shown here is called a “printed meisen.”

On this meisen kimono, large camellias with a hint of blue are placed against a background of red and white stripes.

Flower Arabesques

牡丹唐草

The arabesque is an ornamental pattern consisting of interwined flowing lines that originated in the western Asian region and spread throughout the world. A grape and arabesque motif can often be seen in the art of Persia during the Sassanid dynasty (300–700 CE). In China, the pattern appeared in the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), but its use for adorning clothing became widespread only with the arrival of Buddhism in China after the third century. The arabesque became a central motif for clothing decoration during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE). The pattern is thought to have entered Japan in the fifth century via the Silk Road from China. Combined with botanical motifs such as hollyhocks, chrysanthemums and peonies, there is no limit to the number of arabesque patterns that can be created.

This haori, a traditional Japanese hip- or thigh-length kimono-style jacket, from the early Showa period (1926–88) features a dyed flower arabesque on figured satin. This luxurious pattern completely covers the fabric.

Clover

クローバー

Clover is a perennial belonging to the genus Trifolium, a member of the leguminous pea family. Its flowers come in a variety of colors, such as white, red, purple, crimson and even yellow. On kimono, it is not the flower but the leaf that is used as a motif. Clover patterns began to be seen on kimono, obi and other garments at the start of the Showa period (1926–88), when they evoked an air of modernity.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) from the 1930s has a dominant cloverleaf motif.

A clover pattern on an obi-dome brooch of the early Showa period.

In this formal kimono from the early Showa period, clover leaves can be seen among cattleya orchids and peonies.

Bells

鈴

The word “bell” is the generic term for a hollow object with a small ball inside that makes a noise when shaken. It may be formed from earthenware, metal, ceramic or other media, Sometimes the bell is used as a musical instrument.

The bell most familiar to the Japanese is the type found hanging in front of Shinto shrines. Positioned over a bell-pull rope called a suzuo, the massive bell is chimed to summon the god of the shrine. Because it makes such an attractive subject for a pattern and is instantly recognizable, the bell is a popular motif on Japanese obi.

This black satin Nagoya obi (see page 8) is embroidered with bells and cherry blossoms.

A bell is embroidered onto this Nagoya obi, which is made of purple figured rinzu silk (see page 33).

Plum Blossoms

梅

Because plum trees bloom in winter, there is a saying that “the plum is the first among flowers.” Prior to the Nara period (710–94), the word “flower” generally indicated the plum blossom, and in the Man’yoshu, an eighth-century anthology of Japanese poetry, there are more verses about plum blossoms than cherry blossoms. A cherry tree now stands to the left of the Hall for State Ceremonies at the Imperial Palace, but originally a plum tree stood there and remained until after the Heian period (794–1185). Scholar and statesman Sugawara no Michizane was closely associated with the plum tree. In spring, at Kyoto’s Kitano Tenman-gu shrine and at Tenman-gu shrines around the country, which are dedicated to Sugawara’s spirit, plum trees stand in all their glory. Sugawara’s demotion at court and subsequent posting to Daizaifu, a minor post in Kyushu, is described in the Tobiume Densetsu (Legend of the Flying Plum Tree). In the legend, the cherry tree withers and dies after its master, Sugawara, leaves, but the plum and pine trees fly through the sky to be with him. However, the pine tree loses strength and falls to the earth in Settsu Province. Only the plum tree miraculously continues its flight and in a single day and night arrives at Daizaifu where its master resides and where it takes root.

Plum blossom and bush warblers are often depicted together. This meisen silk kimono (see page 63) is woven with a design featuring plum blossoms, bush warblers and standing lanterns.

Here, the plum blossom forms a canvas for medalions containing gosho dolls (see page 234) in looped circular panels.

This purple silk kimono bears a plum blossom motif.

This carved obi-dome brooch consists mainly of branches of plum blossom, but some chrysanthemums can be seen in the background.

A plum tree with red blossoms in full bloom at Kitano Tenman-gu shrine in Kyoto. The Plum Blossom Festival takes place on February 25.

Tachibana

橘

“The fragrance of the tachibana flowers that wait until May to bloom

Brings to mind the scent of the sleeves

Of someone I can’t forget.”

—Kokinshu: Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times, Summer: 39.

The beautiful tachibana, an ornamental orange tree with evergreeen leaves, fragrant blossoms and inedible fruit, holds a place of honor in front of the ceremonial hall of Kyoto’s Imperial Palace. “Sakon no sakura” refers to the cherry tree, representing impermanence, on the left or east of the hall’s southern stairs. “Ukon no tachibana” indicates the citrus tree, an evergreen representing longevity, on the right or west of the hall. Of all the citrus fruits, the Japanese tachibana is the only one truly native to Japan, and around June it brings forth fragrant white blossoms from the leaf axils at the ends of branches, though its fruit is too sour for eating. It is said that in olden times “tachibana” was the generic name for all citrus fruits. Sei Shonagon, too, praises the tachibana: “With its brilliant glowing fruit, it’s like balls of gold nestled among the flowers” (The Pillow Book, 34).

This kimono is patterned with rows of yellow arrow feathers. Tachibana flowers, among others, are placed on the feathers of the arrows.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) is embroidered with a pattern of tachibana flowers and heart-shaped Asarum caulescens leaves.

Thistles

薊

A perennial belonging to the Asteraceae family, the thistle grows wild in fields from late spring to summer. Because the shape of the flower resembles a brush used to apply eyebrow powder, the thistle is also called various names that mean “eyebrow brush.” In the language of flowers, it symbolizes authority and independence as well as meaning “don’t touch.” The national flower of Scotland, the plumed thistle is said to have warded off intruders with its prickles, thereby protecting the country. As it grows in meadows and is not particularly eye-catching, the thistle is not used as the main motif for semi-formal attire or for formal or semi-formal fukuro-obi (see page 25), yet this wonderful flower enjoys a well-established popularity.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) features a richly embroidered thistle pattern on a fabric that has been tie-dyed in two different ways. The thistles have been heavily embroidered on a checkerboard background.

Kimono That Color the Four Seasons of Gion

YUKIKO MATSUDA Student, Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences, Ritsumeikan University

The colors of kimono worn by geisha and maiko (apprentice geisha) differ from those worn by other women, their favored hues having something of a translucency to them. In their regular line of work, geisha and maiko wear flamboyant kimono known as “going out attire.” But these are not the only outfits to be seen in the pleasure quarters. Throughout the year, the entertainment district is the hub for annual events where costumes specific to the season are on display. The Gion Kobu area provides a good example.

On January 7, at the ceremony that marks the start of the year at the Yasaka Girls School, geisha and maiko wear the official dress of black kimono printed with crests and hair decorations of ears of rice to express fresh beginnings.

When the girls pay new year visits to the head of the Inoue School of Dance during the Hatsuyori event on January 13, they wear formal attire in the form of crested colored garments known as “spare clothes.”

Once the new year’s celebrations are over, Gion Kobu begins to prepare for the city’s dance festivals. The blue costumes worn for general dancing are accompanied by round uchiwa fans (see pages 146–7) with frames made from pearl bush to signal the arrival of spring, and maiko change their hairpins for those with cherry blossom designs.

In early summer, geisha and maiko change their seasonal wardrobes to make way for simple kimono in which to spend the wet season. For the Gion Matsuri festival season in July, maiko wear their hair in the Katsuyama style, dressing it with decorations symbolizing uchiwa fans. At this time, students of the Inoue School who are, in the main, geisha and maiko, don matching yukata (casual summer kimono) and gather for a special ceremony at Yasaka-jinja shrine to pray for better proficiency in their dancing.

On the night of July 31, geisha and maiko recruits make their way to Atago-jinja shrine on the summit of Mt. Atago for the Sennichi-mairi, or “thousand days of prayer.” The next morning, August 1, marks Hassaku, when the geisha and maiko of Gion, wearing crested black formal attire made a of silk gauze that is only seen in this area, make visiting rounds to people with whom they are close. Hairpins worn at this time feature pampas grass designs to evoke a feeling of coolness.

As the fall season progresses, hairpin designs change along with the weather, with bellflowers for September, chrysanthemums for October and autumnal leaves for November. Kabuki viewing parties in December find geisha and maiko adorning their hair with pins whose decorations include representations of the colored rice balls of new year. They gather in the box seats at Kyoto’s Minami-za Theater. It is customary to begin preparations for the New Year on December 13, but for the people of the pleasure quarters this day is the true start of the new year. Geisha and maiko visit their instructors, tea houses and “older sister” geisha who have mentored them, bringing offerings of kagami-mochi rice cakes. They wear finely patterned kimono or semi-formal kimono at this time. The final event of the year involves making the rounds of the tea shops on New Year’s Eve, when shopkeepers are busy with preparations for the new year. The geisha and maiko express their gratitude for the tea shop staff’s support over the year. This marks the close of the year in the pleasure quarter.

Kimono that reflect the changing of the seasons and the varous annual events are incorporated into the daily lives of the geisha and maiko. Gion is a city where traces of a disappearing age still remain, a world where costumes and colors that have vanished from other places still have a living presence.

Obi-jime are long strings, either flat or round, woven or a sewn tube of fabric, that are tied around an obi and through the knot. They are decorative as well as functional. The obi-jime here were made at the start of the Showa era (1926–88). Obi-jime of that period were wide and the design was woven into the fabric.

Delighting in Japanese Accessories

KEIKO NITANAI Kyoto Antique Fabric Preservation Society

The wearing of kimono requires the use of many little accessories.

When I was writing “Kimono Nostalgia,” a regular column in the Kyoto Shimbun newspaper, I spent a year writing about kimono accessories, starting with what is worn on the head and working my way down. But the accessories are so numerous that the year was over before I ever reached the zouri straw sandals.

The sheer number of accessories needed for wearing kimono splits people into two camps: those who enjoy traditional dress precisely because of all the accessories, and those who find them bothersome and consequently shy away from kimono. Listed in order, the accessories are: ornamental hairpins, haneri half collars, kasaneeri layered collars, obi-age bustle sashes, obi-jime strings, obi-dome brooches, haori-himo jacket strings, shawls, purses, tabi socks, zouri straw sandals, plus haori coats and the nagajuban which is not seen because it is an undergarment.

These are all like a canvas on which patterns can be added. The advantage of kimono is that regardless of how elements are combined, they blend together without any sense of incongruity. Moreover, even if you cannot buy kimono or obi every year, tweaks such as using seasonally patterned half collars or joining shibori ikat fabric to create obi-age bustle sashes lend a fresh look to your regular kimono.

In this way, the women of the Taisho (1912–26) and early Showa (1926–88) periods used details to show their sense of style, perhaps as a way of secretly conveying their feelings to others.

Without a doubt, Japan is a country that finds joy in patterns. Maybe this is the reason for the timeless appeal of the kimono.

Interesting half collars (haneri) that do not fit into seasonal stereotypes.

Summer at the Water’s Edge

夏の水辺

In summer, various dramas unfold at the water’s edge. The Kamo-gawa river runs through the center of Kyoto, while further south the Kizu-gawa and Uji-gawa rivers flow. The land has been reclaimed now, but prior to World War II there was a large pond called Okura-ike south of Uji-gawa river. Old photos of boat building and lotus flower viewing suggest that the waterfront scenery was more fully appreciated in the past than it is today. Some of the kimono decorated with waterfront scenes, which evoke a feeling of coolness, are shown here.

Baskets, plovers and flowing water come together on this crepe nagajuban under-kimono (see page 57).

A formal summer kimono featuring reeds growing in water.

This homongi (see page 25) is patterned with a meandering river and ears of reed mace.

Morning Glories

朝顔

The morning glory, introduced from China, was originally known by its Chinese name “cowherd” and was cultivated as a medicinal herb. In the Tenmei and Kansei eras (1781–1800), it became widespread practice to cultivate morning glories in pots as ornamental flowers, and since that time there has been a long history of improving the cultivar. Blooming in the morning and withering and dying during the same day, the fragile life of the morning glory has inspired a passionate devotion to the development of new strains.

In The Tale of Genji, Lady Asagao (Lady Morning Glory) is the daughter of Prince Momozono Shikibukyo no Miya, Emperor Fujitsubo’s younger brother, and thus Hikaru Genji’s cousin. Her name derives from an anecdote in which Genji sent her a poem with a morning glory flower attached. Lady Asagao was one of the few women whom Genji was unable to seduce. The flower Genji sends is wilted, and the verse reads:

“Can it be that the Morning Glory, once seen by me and ever since remembered in its beauty, is now a dry and withered flower?”

—Murasaki Shikibu (trans. Arthur Waley), The Tale of Genji, Tuttle, 2010.

The morning glory features in a great deal of Japanese poetry, particularly in haiku. Although it is a summer flower, in seasonal terms it is categorized as belonging to early fall.

“Ah me! I am one

Who spends his little breakfast

Morning-glory gazing.”

—Matsuo Basho (trans. Peter Beilenson), Japanese Haiku, 1955.

This nagajuban under-kimono (see page 57) boasts a beautiful morning glory design.

This light green kimono was dyed with a pattern of lilies and morning glories.

Arrow feathers are combined with morning glory blooms on this kimono.

On this dyed piece of cloth, colorful morning glories are scattered over a background where blue and white fade into each other.

With their brilliant coloring, morning glory flowers bring delight to summer mornings. They are a popular motif for summer kimono.

Shibakusa

芝草

Shibakusa is the generic term for blades of grass depicted as swaying in a gentle arc. When drops of dew (tsuyu) are added, the pattern is called tsuyu-shiba. The pattern is often used in combination with summer blooms such as fringed pinks and bellflowers. If motifs representing snowflakes are added in the form of circular notches on the blades of grass, the pattern is called yuki-mochi shibakusa (snow-laden shibakusa) and yuki-mochi tsuyu-shiba (snow-laden tsuyu-shiba). Images are sometimes added among the blades of grass. Often used as a background on summer kimono, the shibakusa plays a supporting role to other motifs, yet its depiction on kimono, obi and other garments creates an unmistakably autumnal ambience.

A summer nagajuban under-kimono (see page 57) on which the design consists entirely of shibakusa.

This haneri decorative collar (see page 93) for a nagajuban is ornamented with summer flowers, such as bellflowers, on a pattern of shibakusa.

Birds of Summer

夏の鳥

Summer kimono offer a treasure trove of bird patterns. Flocks of birds gathering at the water’s edge form especially delightful kimono and obi designs. Many kinds of water birds are depicted, including plovers, seagulls, herons, cormorants and kingfishers. The movement of birds against calm waters or birds hovering above waves creates a sense of both stillness and motion that has timeless appeal. At the time these kimono were made, the natural world must have felt more familiar and many birds would have been seen on the nearby rivers.

When combining elements of traditional dress, it is best to avoid repetitiveness such as pairing a bird-patterned kimono with a bird-patterned obi. Rather, teaming a bird-patterned kimono with a water-patterned obi, or a bird-patterned obi with a kimono decorated in wave motifs creates an attractive complementary look. If you cannot resist adding another bird motif to the outfit, do it though an obi-dome brooch or a haneri decorative collar, which is sewn onto the collar of the nagajuban under- kimono to protect the outer kimono as well as to accessorize. For a summer kimono, the most important thing is to project the appearance of coolness.

This heron, nestling on the river bank, has been subtly embroidered onto a dyed Nagoya obi (see page 8).

Here, a cormorant perches on a basket at the river’s edge. In Japan, the cormorant’s fishing season runs from summer to autumn.

Seagulls skim over waves on this gray formal summer kimono.

This dyed kimono features an arrangement of plovers sweeping over reeds in the water.

Bellflowers

桔梗

The bellflower, which takes both its common name and its scientific name (campanula is Latin for "little bell") from its bell-shaped nodding heads. The plant blooms from late summer into early autumn.

There are both wild and domesticated varieties of the bellflower, and when chanced upon in the mountains, a cluster of these is a visual treat.

This silk gauze Nagoya obi (see page 8) is woven with blue and white bellflowers on a background of tsuyu-shiba (see page 88).

A white bellflower design has been dyed onto this silk gauze kimono which was woven with a pattern of rings of water.

The bellflowers at Rosan-ji temple in Kyoto’s Kamigyo ward are a must-see. The temple is said to be the former residence of Shikibu Murasaki. Set on white sand, the moss represents a sandbar. The purple bellflowers in bloom make one forget the heat of summer.

Landscapes

山水

There are some beautiful examples of landscape painting on summer tomesode but, sadly, fewer and fewer people are wearing tomesode in summer. The tomesode is a particularly suitable canvas for landscapes. Starting at the front left edge, continuing around the back and ending at the front right edge of the garment, various landscapes are showcased on black or colored backgrounds, enabling the viewer to take in an entire world through a single kimono. Occasionally, even the lining of the skirt section is used to display a design.

Such examples pass through the highly skilled hands of numerous craftspeople, starting with the preliminary sketch artist and then moving on to the dyer and the shibori artist before being finished by the embroiderer. The production process requires a shikkaiya to bring all the elements together. Shikkai loosely means “to combine each separate item” and the shikkaiya’s role is exactly that, coordinating the production of the kimono from start to finish. The moderate size of Kyoto makes it easy to travel from artisan to artisan involved in the production process. In recent times, the number of customers ordering kimono from the preliminary sketch stage has diminished, but in the early years of the Showa era (1926–88) this degree of luxury was still possible, something that makes us a little envious of the people who lived during that time.

This dyed tomesode (see page 12) depicts running water and a scene at the water’s edge. As the water flows upward from the bottom, the scenery changes to include, on the bottom of the front panels, a boat and a bridge. Throughout, a multitude of summer flowers combine to create a sense of balance.

This kimono reflects Chinese influences. Against an icy blue background, steep, rocky mountains rise from the water up to the sky.

Mount Fuji dominates this linen obi made for summer use.

A detail from the tomosode pictured on pages 96–7.

Tanabata

七夕

Tanabata is the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. In China, this is the night when women would pray to the Weaver Princess star (Vega) to help them improve their weaving and handicraft skills, and various items such as thread, pins and cloth were placed on altars set up in the garden. This custom seems to have spread to the nobility in Japan in early times. Offerings such as five-colored cloth and thread, the seven autumnal flowers, sea bream and abalone, peaches, eggplant and various other items were placed on an altar that was set up on the veranda. Water was poured into a washbowl and people would gaze at the stars reflected in the water, praying for improvement in the arts and crafts, including in musical instruments such as the koto (a zither-like instrument) and biwa (lute).

There are not many obi with Tanabata themes, but this rare one was found among some donations.

The arrangement on this obi represents the Star Festival or Kikkoten. A kaji leaf (leaf of the paper mulberry) is prominently placed to the left of center amidst swatches of cloth and colored threads.

Bush Clover

萩

The bush clover, called hagi in Japanese, is one of the seven flowers of fall. The sight of its red and purple blossoms on the ends of weeping branches evokes the feeling that fall has truly arrived. The character used for bush clover incorporates the radical for grass over the character for the fall season. This character was created in Japan; just as the camellia is the “tree of spring,” the bush clover is the plant associated with fall. Of all the flowers mentioned in the Man’yoshu, the bush clover appears the most frequently, showing that it has been a beloved flower since ancient times. In the Kiritsubo chapter in The Tale of Genji, young Genji, who has lost his mother, is the subject of a verse that alludes to the sheltering branches of the bush clover:

“The sound of the wind is dull and drear Across Miyagi’s dewy lea, And makes me mourn for the motherless deer That sleeps beneath the hagi tree.”

—Murasaki Shikibu (trans. Kencho Suematsu), Genji Monogatari, Tuttle, 1974)

The bush clover appears on summer kimono and obi in both central and supporting roles. When it is the leading motif, its small flowers are depicted in white and purple. When it is part of a larger design, its weeping branches are shown in gently arching lines as a background for summer flowers.

A vertical arrangement of blades of grass in the shibakusa pattern (see page 88) and bush clover on a linen kimono.

This purple lined kimono features bush clover and pinks arranged in vertical rows.

On this dyed linen kimono, bush clover is combined with flowing water.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) has a dyed backdrop of bush clover and autumn flowers onto which a small bookshelf has been superbly embroidered.

There are several places to see fine displays of bush clover in Kyoto. One is at Jorin-ji temple, a little south down Kawabata-dori street from Demachiyanagi station or heading north from Imadegawa-dori street. It is in an area that is easy to access, so even on a rushed visit you can still admire the bush clover from outside the gate. A doorplate is inscribed with “Bush clover temple.” Another place famous for bush clover is Nashinoki-jinja shrine (pictured), near the Imperial Palace. It hosts the Bush Clover Festival every September.

Lilies

百合

There are surprisingly few examples of designs incorporating lilies, with their large, prominent flowers, until they suddenly began to be used on kimono and obi from the end of the Taisho period (1912–26) and into the early Showa era (1926–88). It seems that the lily’s pure, clean image was favored as a pattern for young, unmarried women. During this period, lilies were depicted as large, glorious blooms. In addition to white, crimson flowers, probably amaryllis, became popular.

This golden brown Nagoya obi (see page 8) is embroidered with red lilies, most likely amaryllis.

These embroidered white lilies appear here on a turquoise blue Nagoya obi.

This Nagoya obi made from synthetic fiber features a budding lily picked out in beads.

The lily on this obi-dome brooch has been lacquered on.

The white lilies on this tomesode (see page 12) gradually blur into the light blue background.

As the flower of the Virgin Mary, the lily is also popular in the West. In recent years, many luxurious types, such as double-flower lilies, have been cultivated.

Summer Insects

夏の虫

Many insects appear in summer kimono designs, both formal and informal. It is perhaps because they are associated with the water’s edge that dragonflies have become popular motifs. Crickets in insect cages are also a favorite design, with depictions of the elaborate bamboo cages used as ornaments.

Designs that combine lanterns and fireflies are common on yukata, informal unlined summer kimono-like garments, usually made of cotton, linen or hemp and most often worn to outdoor festivals and also at onsen (hot spring) resorts. The taste for insect designs seems to reflect the Japanese love for the fragile, ever-changing aspect of nature.

This nagajuban under-kimono (see page 57) depicts bush crickets on blades of grass.

Dragonflies amidst grass are a feature of this summer kimono.

Pinks

撫子

“I wish you, my lady, were a pink, so that every morning for all the days I could take a pink in my hand and no day would be spent without love.”

—Otomo no Yakamochi, Man’yoshu, 3: 408.

With its pretty flowers and delicate leaves, the pink (Dianthus superbus or Dianthus japonicas) takes its Japanese name (nadeshiko) from the tenderness it inspires, similar to the feeling when patting a child affectionately on the head (naderu). One of the seven flowers of fall, it blooms around August to September, bringing forth five delicately separated pink-edged white petals. In olden times it was also known as tokonatsu, or “everlasting summer.”

The Tale of Genji dedicates verse to pinks (tokonatsu), written here as tokonotz:

“With confused gaze we view

The mingled flowers on gay parterre,

Amid their blooms of radiant hue

The Tokonatz, my love, is there.”

—Murasaki Shikibu (trans. Kencho Suematsu), Genji Monogatari, Tuttle, 1974.

This nagajuban under-kimono (see page 57) has been dyed with a grass and pinks pattern. Many nagajuban have removable collars to allow them to be changed to match the outer garment and to be easily washed without having to wash the entire garment.

White pinks are dyed onto this bright magenta kimono.

This white kimono is dyed with autumn flowers, the light green foliage merging into the background.

This cerise obi is decorated with a pattern of frilly-edged pinks.

Pinks flowering in a corner of a garden in summer. Nadeshiko no kasane, the name for the prescribed combination of pink and green that may be worn in traditional dress from around April to June, takes its name from the pink color of the flowers and the green of its leaves.

Stripes for Summer

夏の縞

In summer, items that convey a sense of coolness are in demand. These two kimono are from the Taisho era (1912–88) and were donated by an old family in Sakyo ward, Kyoto. Many people associate the kimono of the Taisho period with the “Taisho-roman” aesthetic of splendid, fanciful designs, but the kimono worn by the general public were extremely subdued in style, with many sporting small patterns. In contrast, the fabrics were luxurious and included wonderful items made from pongee, a smooth plain-woven lightweight silk fabric, and cotton kasuri fabric, woven using the ikat resist-dyeing technique and dyed indigo blue.

Botanicals have been woven in gold thread Into the vertical stripe pattern of this kimono.

This silk kimono has vertical stripes woven into it.

Flower Rafts

花筏

Hana-ikada means “flower raft” and generally refers to clusters of cherry blossom petals being swept along on the surface of rivers. In design terms, hana-ikada refers not only to the sakura petals on the surface of a river but also to the various flowers on top of a raft and the way the raft bobs along on top of the water. The flowers depicted are not limited to sakura petals or branches of blossoms. Seasonal flowers are also shown on the rafts.

The designs pictured here show flower rafts of summer blooms. Because the combination of the flowing water and the flower raft evokes a feeling of coolness and splendor, the hana-ikada motif is popular for dressy occasions in summer. “The seven flowers of fall” design incorporates fall flowers onto the raft, or it may include an assortment of flowers such as lilies, which bloom in early summer. In all the designs, the fabric of the kimono or obi resembles water. There is also a deciduous shrub called hana-ikada (Helwingia japonica), so-named because its flowers grow on top of its leaves as if the leaves were rafts.

This black tomesode (see page 12) is dyed with five hana-ikada flower rafts.

A pattern of hanaikada has been dyed onto this vivid blue kimono.

Gorgeous summer flowers have been embroidered onto a raft on this pink summer obi.

Bridges

橋

A bridge is a place to meet and to part. Bridges have mystical connotations, and on Uji Bridge there is a section called San-no-ma which juts out slightly over the water and is said to have been used to offer prayers to the god of the bridge. Typical examples of famous Japanese bridges depicted on kimono and obi include the Uji Bridge, the Seta-Karahashi Bridge and the bridge at Sumiyoshi Taisha shrine. In the yatsuhashi (“eight bridges” or zigzag) design, bridges are combined with irises to decorate garments such as casual, unlined cotton yukata (see page 93) and other summer kimono.

This summer obi shows a large rolling wave approaching a bridge.

Note the great curve of the bridge and the dangling leaves of the willow painted on this woven Nagoya obi (see page 8).

Irises

菖蒲・杜若

Around May, beautiful irises such as the Japanese iris, the flag and the rabbitear are in bloom. The Japanese iris is distinguished by a yellow line at the base of the petals. If the line is white, it is a rabbitear iris, while a mesh pattern indicates a flag iris.

The elegant forms of irises have made them popular as kimono designs since olden times. They are often depicted with flowing water on summer kimono and are especially valuable as motifs for expressing the water’s edge. They are also often shown with yatsuhashi, bridges that run in a zigzag course.

Iris root has a pleasant fragrance, and in the Heian era it was used by noble families as gifts or to decorate roofs.

This silk satin rinzu silk kimono (see page 33) has been dyed with blue and white irises.

Irises with flowing water and bellflowers have been dyed onto this crepe kimono.

This early Showa period (1926–88) kimono is patterned with irises and flowing water. The patterns have been applied using a tie-dye technique.

In Kyoto, Ota-no-sawa (Ota marsh) near Kamigamo-jinja shrine is the place to go to view rabbitear iris, with the huge cluster of flowers near the shrine putting on an impressive display. The best time to see them is at the start of May each year.

Asian Clematis

鉄線

In summer, the charming flowers of the Chinese clematis bloom on their vines. This plant, a member of the Ranunculaceae family, was imported from China in the Kambun era (1661–73). Its air of coolness has made it a popular choice for summer kimono and obi motifs since olden times. The Chinese clematis has six petals, while the creeper known in Japanese as kasaguruma (pinwheel: Clematis patens) has eight.

Light blue and white clematis have been dyed onto this blue kimono.

This light blue silk kimono was designed with wreaths of flowers surrounded by a white that gradually merges into the background. As well as the Asian clematis, the wreaths of flowers also include pinks and bush clover.

Weeping Willow

柳

With its branches swaying gently on the banks of a river, the weeping willow has been a stirring sight beloved since olden times. In China, there is a custom of snapping off a willow branch to give to travelers about to set out on a journey. The willow may have been given as a kind of talisman, as the readiness with which it grows from cuttings was seen to indicate its vigorous life force. The reason that there are so many willows growing on riverbanks is because branches swept into the water take root naturally where they land downstream.

In traditional Japanese poetry, verses are composed about willows as part of spring scenes, but when depicted on kimono and obi they are more often teamed with bridges, water and other summer scenery.

On this obi we can see a river just drifting along.

A blue and white bridge and willow pattern on a kimono.

A textured willow motif on a pongee silk kimono (see page 117).

Waves

波紋

Wave patterns are common in Japan because the country is surrounded by sea and has a large number of rivers. Summer kimono and obi feature all kinds of wave designs, ranging from seigaiha, a pattern of layered concentric circles creating arches in a blue ocean, to waves boldly cresting or gently rippling. Favored for their vigor, waves are also often incorporated as motifs in family crests. There are also many patterns in which waves are combined with plovers, rabbits, swallows and other creatures.

Among rabbit lovers, the pattern of rabbits in waves is especially popular. There are various views regarding the origin of this particular pattern. One is that the pattern is derived from a stanza in a chant in the Noh play Chikubushima, in which the rabbit that dwells in the moon is said to frolic in the waves of the moon’s sea. Chikubushima is an island in Lake Biwa, in Shiga Prefecture’s Nagahama City, where the goddess Benzaiten is worshipped.

This nagajuban under-kimono (see page 57) is dyed with wave patterns containing chrysanthemums, pinks and flowing water as well as bold circular, hook-like waves. Typically, a nagajuban is visible at the hem and sleeves of a kimono and thus was usually coordinated with the main outer kimono.

The design on this nagajuban features summer flowers and swirling water inside circular, hook-like waves against a background of blue leaves.

Undulating hourglass-shaped vertical lines of the tatewaku pattern (see pages 8–9) combine with comma-like waves on this fukuro-obi (see page 25).

Hydrangeas

紫陽花

During the rainy season in Japan, hydrangeas are like a ball of light in a garden. Western hydrangeas are said to have made their way from Japan via China to Europe, where they have been propagated to produce a variety of colors and forms. The origin of the Japanese word for hydrangea, ajisai, may have derived from a combination of aji (to gather) and sai (indigo).

Occasionally, I am asked when it is appropriate to wear an obi with a hydrangea pattern in summer. I feel it is a waste to wear it during the rainy season, which is when hydrangeas are actually in bloom. Where obi and kimono are concerned, wearing seasonal motifs a little in advance of those seasons is perfectly acceptable for both wearer and viewer.

Pastel-colored hydrangeas have been hand-painted onto this linen Nagoya obi (see page 8).

This rinzu figured silk obi (see page 33) features bold, multicolored hydrangeas worked in satin stitch.

Rings of Water

水紋

Water is expressed in different ways on summer kimono. There are many types of design, including the S-shaped curves of the ryusui-mon flowing water crest and the whorls of the kanze-mizu design. The fact that water lends itself to repeating patterns may explain why it features so heavily in stencil designs and woven fabrics, among other textiles. Combined with the colored leaves of fall, flowing water forms a pattern known as “Tatsutagawa river.”

Large rings of water were woven into this silk gauze kimono of the early Showa era (1926–88).

On this Taisho era (1912–26) silk gauze kimono, white lines of water undulate over a gray background.

This silver obi-dome brooch has been embossed with rings of water.

Fish

魚

In the early Showa era (1926–88), it was still common to place an order with a skilled craftsman for a kimono or obi. The resulting designs in such custom-made orders were often distinctively personal and individual.

Two fish have been painted onto the back section of this obi, and there is another on the front.

Algae and killifish, a small, brightly colored, carp-like freshwater fish, have been painted onto this buff-colored summer Nagoya obi (see page 8).

Genjiko

源氏香

Genjiko is a game conceived around the time of Emperor Gomizuno (1595–1680). It involves creating five cones each of five types of incense (a total of 25 cones) from which the host takes five cones to light at random. The participants in the game distinguish the incense by smell, representing each cone with a line drawn on paper. The game is to guess the differences, and if the players think any of the incense cones smell the same, they connect the parallel lines representing those cones together with a horizontal line. If they do not think any of the cones are the same, they do not connect any of the lines. Apart from the Kiritsubo and Yume no Ukibashi chapters, the names of the 52 potential configurations created through different combinations of the five lines all correspond to chapter titles in The Tale of Genji. Some of the figures created by the connected lines in the game are used to create the “Genjiko pattern.”

The face of the fan on this summer obi is decorated with a genjiko pattern.

This kimono is dyed with a design featuring two genjiko, swirling water, two bridges of a koto (a zither-like musical instrument) and autumn flowers.

A dyed wheel and a genjiko on a section of a Nagoya obi (see page 8).

A summer kimono with a woven genjiko design covered with bellflowers.

Round Fans

団扇

The round fan (uchiwa) has a long history in Japan. From ancient times until the middle ages, uchiwa were a symbol of authority and were carried by high-ranking nobility, priests and officials at ceremonies. The uchiwa of this period were made from back-to-back materials such as silk and feathers with a stick running up the center. Today’s version, which uses bamboo and paper, emerged at the end of the Muromachi period (1334–1573) and became widespread during the Edo period (1615–68). Woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) of the Edo period reveal how invaluable uchiwa were for keeping cool.

This girls’ summer kimono features a dyed design of fans and summer flowers.

Foreign Flowers

洋の花

Occasionally, we see kimono and obi that have been dyed with images of Western flowers such as dahlias, poppies, tulips and lily of the valley. On made-to-order kimono, it was possible to incorporate these less traditional flowers. In the early Showa period (1926–88), they were probably considered novel and fresh designs. The efforts of the many talented craftspeople in Kyoto who supported the shikkaiya (coordinator for kimono manufacture) in the making of garments for special occasions are showcased in these kimono.

This girls’ summer kimono would be suitable for a child of ten to twelve years. Exotic cattleya orchids are dyed on the sleeves and dahlias around the bottom.

This obi is thought to be from the Taisho era (1912–26). In addition to flowers, it is stenciled with words.

Waterwheels

水車

The combination of stillness and movement in a landscape of willow trees lining the banks of a river spanned by a bridge, water flowing beneath the bridge and a waterwheel rotating to scoop up the water has endeared the ryu-kyo-suisha (willow-bridge-waterwheel) to painters as a design theme, and until early modern times it was a popular subject on folding screens. In topographic terms, the right bank of the Uji River is high, so a waterwheel was used to water the fields there, but there was already a waterwheel at the Byodo-in temple at the end of the Heian period that was described as “a strangely dancing object.” The Ryojin Hisho, a twelfth-century anthology of popular songs, gives an account of how the craftsmen who made the Uji waterwheel were highly skilled and the Uji villagers were thus invited to work on the waterwheel at Oigawa River.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) features a typical waterwheel pattern.

A summer fukuroobi (see page 25), its outer side dyed with a waterwheel pattern.

Dressing in “Coolness”

MIHOKO AOKI Associate Professor, Department of Domestic Science, Kyoto Women’s University

The Japanese kimono has always remained essentially the same from season to season, but for the summer months changes in fabric and weaving techniques, combined with the use of patterns that evoke coolness, make the heat and humidity of summer more bearable.

Linen is the most suitable fabric for summer kimono because of its high thermal conductivity and ability to absorb and evaporate moisture. In particular, the lightness and nearly transparent fineness of jofu, a high quality cloth woven from fine ramie threads in a thin, flat weave, gives it special appeal, although regional differences in production methods result in different characteristics. For example, the glossy Miyakojima jofu is made by pounding the fabric on a fulling block (kinuta), while Echigo jofu is spread over snow to blanch it.

Silk gauzes used for summer kimono include ra, a fabric woven in a mojiri-ori technique whereby lace-like gaps are created in loosely twisted intertwined threads; ro, which includes braided threads that result in vertical and horizontal lines in the weave; and sha, which has an unbraided, slightly stiffer weave. These fabrics are not generally used in formal wear, but their lightness makes them ideal for everyday comfort. Ro is said to have been developed during the middle of the Edo period (1615–1868). Fabrics such as sha and ra feature a transparent ground with threads twisted through it, which means that only small areas can absorb dyestuffs and it is not possible to achieve a clear pattern. It is probably for this reason that the ro weave, which is so well suited to the yuzen paste-resist method of dyeing, came about.

Of the mojiri-ori weaves, the oldest technique is ra-ori, which was brought to Japan from China around the fifth century. Meaning “bird net,” ra employs warp threads intersecting in a complicated formation that was at its most elaborate during the Nara period (710–94), after which the technique fell into decline until it was revived in the Showa period (1926–88). Sha is a weave in which two adjoining warp threads cross one weft thread, and it is said it came to be woven as a simplified version of the complicated ra weave.

While mojiri-ori fabric came to be recognized for its breathability, chijimi crepe is also suited to summer thanks to its surface, which is puckered so as to reduce direct contact with the skin. At the start of the Edo period, in the Akashi district of the then-Harima Province, a fabric called akashichijimi crepe began to be produced in Kyoto’s Nishijin district. By about the 20th year of the Meiji period (1888), the technique had spread to Niigata Prefecture’s Tokamachi City, giving rise to Tokamachi Akashi crepe. During the Kanbun period, Jiro Akashi (real name Masatoshi Hori) moved from Akashi to Ojiya, developing Echigo jofu by using ramie, and Ojiya-chijimi crepe was thus born.

Creating a cooling visual impression is an important element in summer kimono, and the patterns specific to summer show many ways of achieving this. Water is first among the images that evoke coolness and is expressed through many different motifs, such as the ryusui (flowing water) pattern composed of multiple curved lines. Within this pattern is the Kanze-mizu, which is the standard pattern for the Kanze school of Noh theater, and the Kourin-mizu pattern that takes its name from artist Kourin Ogata’s simplified expression of flowing water. Distanced from a reproduction of nature, the distinctive characteristics of these designs have given them their titles.

Apart from direct expressions of water, many patterns depict objects that relate to it. Suisha, the waterwheel, which is often used in scenery patterns; tsuchiguruma, the ladles attached to the waterwheel; yakatabune, the houseboats depicted in scenery showing river amusements; sasabune, the toy boats made from bamboo leaves which appear in scenes of children floating them on the water, and jagago, long bamboo baskets of stones used for embankments that feature in waterside views, are all patterns that often appear in designs of a classical nature.

Clothing in Ukiyo-e Prints

MIZUHO KAMO Post-doctoral Fellow, Kinugasa Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University　

Popular during the Edo period (1612–1868), ukiyo-e prints illustrate the various trends and social customs of the day. The kimono depicted in ukiyo-e are reproduced in incredible detail, with many motifs making an appearance. The patterns used on the kimono reflect trends, seasons and culture, bringing pleasure to the viewer.

The print below is by Edo artist Toyokuni Utagawa III (also known as Kunisada) and is titled “The cool of the evening at the Shijo riverbank.” Scenes of evening cool make up a large number of the ukiyo-e depicting summer. In this print, too, women are shown enjoying the cool of the evening in their own way on a riverbank, one holding a round uchiwa fan in one hand to cool herself, with camping stools set up beside them to hold saké and food. The women’s kimono are all in shades of blue, and a seasonal tone is set through touches such as giving the fabric a look of transparency.

In the first section of the print (to the viewer’s right), the woman on the left is wearing a casual summer yukata with a boldly executed nikuzushi pattern (see detail 1). Between the white and indigo of the pattern touches of “peek-into-the-pot color” (pale blue, so-called as the fabric only needs to be in the indigo vat briefly for the color to be achieved) have been added. If such yukata were actually produced, it can be supposed that they were dyed using stencils, the characteristically subtle look of which dyeing method has been captured in the ukiyo-e to give it the appearance of a real yukata.

The woman on the right in the first section of the artwork (see detail 2) is wearing a black kimono embellished with 「井○井」patterns (which in Japanese symbolize a well, a ring and another well). As this pattern can also be written as 「井輪井」(the Chinese characters for well, ring and well) which is pronounced “i-wa-i” and can also be written as 「岩井」iwa-i, it can be understood to be a pattern connected with kabuki theater (the Iwai family have been kabuki actors for generations). There are many patterns which have something to do with kabuki actors, such as the mimasu (three squares) crest of Danjuro Ichikawa that is often depicted on garments and accessories such as kimono and fans.

In addition to the kimono pattern, the woman’s face in detail 2 is the likeness of Kumesaburo Iwai III, a kabuki actor who played women’s roles. There are various views on portraits of kabuki actors in their stage roles and backstage or in their everyday lives, but actors’ likenesses began to be drawn from the Meiwa era onwards (1764–72). Artists captured actors’ looks with such precision that it was possible to tell at a glance who they were. Following the Tenpo Reforms (a series of government measures, 1841–3), it was forbidden to record kabuki actors’ names on ukiyo-e, but it was possible to infer their identities through likenesses, family crests and other details.

The main print would seem at first glance to be a scene of beautiful women enjoying the cool of the evening, but in addition to Kumesaburo Iwai III, the other women depicted are likenesses of kabuki actors. It is therefore an illustration of the enjoyment of evening cool which reflects not only the summer scenery and kimono but the popularity of kabuki. Moreover, it is a work by an Edo (i.e. Tokyo) artist portraying Edo actors, so it is difficult to believe that the artist would have simply reproduced Kyoto’s Shijo riverbank area. However, focusing on ukiyo-e’s depictions of kimono and their patterns, people’s tastes and preferences for patterns can also be discerned.

“The cool of the evening at the Shijo riverbank,” triptych by Toyokuni Utagawa III, May, 6th year of Kaei (1853). (Collection of Ritsumeikan University Art Research Center)

Detail 1

Detail 2

Enjoying Obi-dome

KEIKO NITANAI Kyoto Antique Fabric Preservation Society

To women, obi-dome (obi sash brooches) are treasures. In the times before Western clothes were as widespread as they are now, when there were no ornamental items such as necklaces, pendants, brooches and bracelets for personal adornment, the only kimono accessory was the obi-dome. Naturally, items similar to brooches, such as the erikazari (collar decoration) existed, but these seem to have disappeared before they really caught on.

Looking at obi-dome from olden times until the present within the framework of their eras, the examples from the early Meiji period (1868–1912) are extremely small and form a unit with the cord to which they are attached. This is said to be because at the end of the Edo period (1615–1868), just before the Meiji period, artisans who had previously specialized in manufacturing sword decorations for samurai were out of work and turned to making obi-dome instead. Viewing obi-dome from this time, one notices that many designs resemble sword hilts and the ball-shaped ornaments that were attached to them.

As the Taisho period gave way to the Showa era (1926–88), obi-dome designs became more Western and sophisticated. Examples can be seen that emphasize the linear features of Art Deco and the curves of Art Nouveau, and at the start of the Showa obi-dome incorporating gemstones began to appear.

The obi-dome is positioned in the very center of the obi and in the middle of the obi-jime cord. As this is the area of the body that most draws the eye, whether an obi-dome is worn or not makes a great deal of difference to the overall look of the kimono. It is appropriate to think of the obi-dome as the finishing touch to a kimono outfit, or even its star.

With the aim of passing on the tradition of such obi-dome to today’s young people, since 2010 the Kyoto Antique Fabric Preservation Society has run an obi-dome design exhibition that is open to the public. Some of the entries are shown on page 155. Each year, many works are submitted for either of the two prize categories, the first prize and the Kyoto prize.

A member of the judging panel since the first exhibition, Mr Terufumi Shimada says: “I think of the obi-dome as a communication tool. Simply wearing an obi-dome starts conversations with all kinds of people. Even a single obi-dome can help to explain about Japan and Kyoto to foreigners, so having a collection of these kinds of works would be excellent.”

Every time I look at their creations, I am filled with admiration for the sensitivity and energy of our young people, who are looking into the future as they produce new objects while recognizing the asset we have in the designs from times past.

Rangiku

乱菊

The chrysanthemum, or kiku in Japanese, like the cherry blossom symbolizes autumn but, more importantly it is a symbol of Japan itself. The Chrysanthemum Throne is the name given to the position of the Emperor and the throne and the Imperial crest is a stylized chrysanthemum bloom. Introduced to Japan from China in the Nara period (710–93), the flower has developed into numerous forms (see pages 222–3) and is a common motif in Japanese culture that represents longevity and rejuvenation.

Rangiku is a term that refers to chrysanthemums that have some long irregular petals, resulting in a slightly dishevelled appearance. This dramatic image has long been appreciated as a design for kimono and obi.

A detachable haneri decorative collar (page 93) for a nagajuban under-kimono from the early Showa era (1926–88).

A somewhat untidy look has been skilfully carved into the petals of this white coral obi-dome brooch.

Hand Drums

鼓

The string of the traditional hourglass-shaped, doubleheaded Japanese hand drum (tsuzumi) adds a flowing movement to an already appealing shape, but it also serves a purpose. Pulling the string changes the tension of the drum’s surface, which in turn changes its timbre. Despite this attribute, it is probably the graceful combination of circles, curves and flowing string rather than its sound that makes the hand drum a popular motif in kimono and obi design.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) has been embroidered with a traditional Japanese hand drum (tsuzumi) bound with string, a book and a folding fan.

Here, the drum has been embroidered on a Nagoya obi with a folding fan.

One side of this obi is mandarin orange in color and patterned with flowers and birds. The other side shows a hand drum against a diagonal arrangement of squares.

Stripes for Autumn

秋の縞

As the cooler weather sets in, we start to long for kimono in thicker, sturdier fabrics. The perfect kimono fabric for this season is o-meshi, originally known as o-meshi chirimen (o-meshi crepe). This fabric gets its name from the 11th Tokugawa shogun, Ienari Tokugawa (1773–1841), who was fond of wearing garments made from ryujo-chirimen, or shima-chirimen, a type of striped crepe. It came to be known as the shogun’s fabric, which he alone was allowed to wear—o-meshi is an honorific way of indicating garments for nobles—thus giving the fabric its name. O-meshi is made using glossy silk threads for both the warp and weft. The threads are first dyed and firmly twisted. They are then coated in o-meshi nori, a paste made from mixing wheat flour or starch, bracken starch and others, in order to stiffen them. After it is woven, the fabric is soaked in warm water and squeezed firmly to create wrinkles. Once the resulting shrunken cloth is dry, it is steam-ironed to flatten it. The strong tension used to create the threads lends body to the material and makes it sturdy.

The colors of this striped kimono are like those of an autumn field.

Maple Leaves

楓葉

The interesting shape of the maple leaf makes it equally popular as a single motif and grouped on branches. It is particularly charming when depicted small, making it an ideal subject for embroidery on kimono. As with hydrangeas, it is a shame to wait until the maple’s leaves are turning red to wear kimono and obi patterned with maple leaves. Happily, maple leaves also feature on many summer garments and accessories.

Wearing patterns of reddening maple leaves that suggest the impending cool fall season gives others a sense of coolness—a peculiarly Japanese act of consideration. Maple leaves are also used in combination with sakura (cherry blossom) on kimono and obi, an arrangement which is called unkin or “clouds and brocade.” The sakura are the clouds and the maple leaves the brocade. Conveniently, kimono and obi sporting this pattern can be worn at any time of the year.

This summer kimono features dyed magenta maple leaves which fade out into the unbleached cloth.

A yellow Nagoya obi (see page 8) embroidered with maple leaves. The maple leaf lends itself to both simple and complex patterns.

Maple leaves embroidered onto a haneri decorative collar (see page 93). Because haneri can be detached from the collar (juban) of a nagajuban under-kimono, they can be used as a seasonal accessory.

These antique kimono fabric pattern books feature maple leaf motifs, from a more traditional look (top) to a more stylized, stencil-like motif (bottom left).

Sarasa

更紗

Although ships from Portugal and Spain first carried textiles to Japan in the seventeenth century, it was painted and printed fabric, specifically calico (sarasa in Japanese) from India that had the greatest impact. Demand for the brightly colored Indian calico (“Coromandel chintz”) came mostly from the Kansai region (Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and Kobe) and was largely used for concealed undergarments. From the Muromachi period (1334–1573) until the early modern era, imported calico was called kowatari sarasa and was particularly prized. Cloth manufactured in Japan imitated this imported calico (wa-zarasa, literally “Japanese calico”), with types including Nabeshima-sarasa, Sakai-sarasa and Kyo-sarasa. Kyo-sarasa largely employs a technique using sketching and pattern papers. Due to the quality of the water, the textile dyeing industry in Kyoto during the Edo period developed around the Horikawa River system which ran through the center of the city, thus giving rise to a type of calico cloth called Horikawa-sarasa.

This dyed sarasa obi features patterns both old and new.

Art Deco

アールデコ

The arts and crafts movement known as Art Deco first appeared in France just before World War I and became especially popular in the 1920s to 1930s. It drew on many sources and affected all forms of design, including the patterns on Japanese kimono and obi. This modern trend fits neatly into the fifteen years of the Taisho era (1912–26) which was sandwiched between the end of the Meiji and start of the Showa periods. Typified by geometric patterns formed from simple lines and shapes, Art Deco designs were easy to incorporate onto obi, and the extremely stylized flowers became favored for their freshness as designs on kimono.

Apart from kimono and obi, Art Deco-style removable collars (haneri) and hair decorations were also produced. Hair arrangements at this time were beginning to transition towards Western styles, and the combs, hairpins and tortoiseshell bars that had been used in Japanese arrangements began to be replaced by Art Deco hair ornaments. The kimono was still the predominant choice of dress, but through hairstyles, hair decorations and accessories such as obi-dome, the Art Deco movement entered the lives of the general population.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) features strong contrasting colors in black, orange and golden yellow.

A rose-patterned Nagoya obi (see page 8).

This haneri decorative collar (see page 93) bears a geometric Art Deco design.

Obi fabric from the start of the Showa era (1926–88). A stylized flower, possibly a camellia, can be seen among the mix of curved and straight lines. It appears that an illustration has been used to create this obi fabric without any changes being made to the design.

Goldstone and onyx are combined in this obi-dome brooch on an obi-jime cord.

Fans

扇

Although the foldable fan originated in Japan and was introduced to China in the early tenth century, it was the Chinese technique of placing paper on both sides of the blades, which come together at the base to form a handle, that led to a new Japanese form called suehiro. Fans have always played an important role in Japan and because they can be spread out have come to symbolize development, expansion and prosperity. Apart from their function of creating a breeze, fans have become indispensable in exchanging greetings and at ceremonial occasions.

Fans are a versatile design motif in kimono and obi and other garments. They can be depicted opened out, layered one over the other to resemble ocean waves, or placed, for example, to resemble butterflies or chrysanthemums. They can be scattered in various guises to form a pattern. Fans also fulfil the role of a canvas on which various designs can be incorporated.

A dyed pattern of fans feature on a girls’ kimono.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) is embroidered with a pattern of folding fans and flowers.

This Nagoya obi features a richly embroidered fan pattern.

Autumn Scenery

秋の風景

The most gorgeous meisen kimono (those made from silk decorated with the kasuri or ikat technique, which produces a fuzzy appearance) feature autumn scenery. Some patterns reflect the movement of autumn winds while others incorporate a patchwork design of autumn colors, like the one above. Young girls particularly enjoyed wearing these colored patterns in casual dress.

This meisen silk kimono (see page 63) is woven with a Chinese autumn scene.

Maiko (apprentice geisha) coming out to look at the autumn leaves.

This mountain scene with chrysanthemums, pine and maple trees was woven into a meisen kimono.

This meisen kimono is reminiscent of modern art.

Expressionism

表現主義

Expressionism, or the Expressionist School, was an art movement that began in Germany in the early twentieth century. It was during the early years of the Showa period (1926–88) that Expressionism started to influence Japan, at a time when the movement was already coming to an end in Europe. Its approach is subjective and emotional, characterized by images that are more abstract than realistic, and by strong bold lines that nevertheless show a certain freedom of movement.

Billowy ferns of the Pteridophyta division of plants are ideal for use in Expressionist designs.

The interpretive flower pattern on this Nagoya obi (see page 8) was strongly influenced by Expressionism.

This Nagoya obi was dyed with colors popular in the Taisho era (1912–26)—red, green and mauve.

Birds of Autumn

秋の鳥

From the earliest times, Japanese textile artists have depicted birds, both realistic and fanciful, in kimono and obi through embroidery or dyeing. Autumn is the best season for creating patterns with birds because it relates to the seasonal succession of seed time and harvest. Beautiful scenes can be built up by arranging birds with fruit, nuts or vines.

This kimono depicts a rufous turtle dove searching for food amid bamboo and chrysanthemums.

Here, purple crepe has been dyed with a design of a small bird resting on a fruit-laden Kadsura vine (Kadsura japonica), a plant species native to woodlands in Japan. Its edible fruits are a very bright scarlet.

A green and yellow tie-dyed Nagoya obi (see page 8) on which a bird, berries and ivy have been embroidered.

Stories

物語

Kimono are unique in providing a canvas for telling a story. The first of this type were the fabulously decorated ceremonial uchikake of the Edo period (1615–1868). These were outer robes worn by courtiers, court ladies and high-ranking samurai women. The uchigake was worn unbelted, its padded hemline trailing along behind the wearer. Floral and non-floral patterns often replaced a story or legend.

From the Edo period, traditional bridal costumes also comprised a lavishly brocaded and embroidered silk uchikake, usually red, worn over a white kimono. Instead of the embroidered or stencil-dyed motifs on the robe illustrating a narrative, they would instead feature auspicious symbols of longevity, happiness, prosperity and fertility, such as the phoenix, cranes with pine trees, turtles, plum blossom and bamboo.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) depicts a scene from a beloved children’s story, Hanasaka-jisan. In this tale, a kind old man adopts a mistreated little dog. One day, the dog leads him to buried gold.

This daintily embroidered haneri decorative collar (see page 93) symbolically tells the tale of the legendary duel between the fighting monk Benkei and Ushiwakamaru (also called Minamoto no Yoshitsune). The duel takes place at the Gojo Bridge. The sword represents Benkei and the fan Ushiwakamaru.

Musical Instruments

楽器

There are three general types of instruments used in traditional and folk music in Japan: percussion (drums and gongs), stringed (zithers and lutes) and wind (mostly flutes).

Designs featuring musical instruments are relatively common on Japanese textiles. Japanese instruments, for example, appear on formal kimono and obi, often in combination with cranes, flowers, pines and repeated background patterns such as concentric waves.

This double-woven fukuro-obi (see page 25) is embroidered on one side with two hand drums filled with a tomoe symbol (see page 281) and two lions.

An embroidered phoenix on the same obi. The embroidery throughout is exemplary.

This meisen silk kimono design (see page 63) features an accordion and a mandolin surrounded by roses. Three musical instruments are shown on page 198 in the detail of a kimono.

A detail of the obi on page 191.

Red Maple Leaf Viewing Parties

菊の宴

When it comes to celebrating the changing seasons, “red leaf” viewing (momiji-gari) in the fall is what cherry blossom viewing (hanami) is in the spring, though less frenetic as the turning leaves stay much longer on the trees than do ephemeral cherry blossoms. In earlier times, a curtain would be hung under the maple trees to mark the location and guests would gather to merrily eat and drink and write waka or haiku poems extolling the stunning shades of vermilion, orange and gold leaves before them.

The entire dyed surface of this obi is covered with maple leaves and a realistically depicted curtain. A stylized fan with a chrysanthemum painted on its face adds an element of surprise.

Early European Ships

南蛮船

Autumn is the season for weddings. It is at this time that female relatives of the bridal couple wearing splendid formal tomesode kimono and double-woven fukuro-obi can be seen gracing hotel lobbies. Weddings provide one of the few opportunities to encounter such beautiful and unusual kimono, as more often than not they are rented these days rather than custom-made.

In comparison with other types of kimono, the patterning on a tomesode is confined to an area under the waistline and the background color is black. For these reasons, the suitability of the pattern, the choice of details and the skill involved in the dyeing and embroidery are critical. The best tomesode, such as the one shown here featuring scenes of the arrival of European sailing ships and their exotic cargo, are made by the most skilled artisans.

The overall pattern on this black tomesode shows the arrival of European ships, which transported exotic goods to Japan from different parts of the world. In this particular ship, a caged tiger and peacocks appear to have been the main cargo.

Many European items feature on the right side of the tomesode, such as a telescope, a magic lantern and a mandolin.

The upper side of the kimono features the two sailing ships whose arrival is detailed on pages 196–7. Throughout the design of the kimono, there is an attractive blend of East and West.

Swans

白鳥

In an era when people could not travel as freely as today, many people could only enjoy the world outside of Japan through the designs and patterns on kimono. At the time, the pure white swan was a symbol of a temperate environment in the outside world. They are often a symbol of love or fidelity because of their long-lasting, apparently monogomous relationships.

This dyed meisen silk kimono (page 63) combines the Matterhorn, a Dutch windmill and swans on Lake Geneva in the same scene.

This obi has a pattern of dyed swans swimming on a lake.

Exotic Scenery

異国の風景

Some of the kimono and obi donated to our collection depict scenery and motifs from foreign lands. Occasionally, tropical landscapes featuring palm trees and birds are dyed or woven into the cloth. Rows of elephants and birds also appear, perhaps inspired by Indian printed calico. The original scenery they produced is found not only in meisen textiles (see page 63) but also in regular Omeshi kimono and Nagoya-obi. In order to keep customers coming back to buy kimono every year, artisans were constantly creating designs of all kinds, adding to the wide range of Japanese kimono manufacture.

Rows of elephants bearing hunters with rifles alternate with rows of birds, perhaps their target. The design layout as well as the motifs are borrowed from India.

This kimono is dyed with images of sailing ships and palm trees, conjuring up visions of foreign lands and dreams of travel.

Stylized sailing ships and palm trees are dyed onto this obi. The soft colors give the trees a floral appearance.

A detail from the obi at left.

Wheel of Genji

源氏車

From the Heian period (794–1185) until the middle ages, ox carts were used as passenger vehicles for the nobility. The ox cart wheel design pictured here is called the Genji wheel design. The number of spokes can vary from six, seven, eight, twelve or more. When the wheels are shown together with the shafts to form a complete ox cart, it is known as the oguruma (small cart) design. Such carts are often seen in pictures depicting scenes from The Tale of Genji, an eleventh-century classic compiled by the noblewoman and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu, and are referred to as Genji-guruma (Genji carts). They represent the turning of the wheel of karma in the story. When Genji-guruma and moonflower leaves are combined in a design, they allude to the Evening Faces chapter in The Tale of Genji.

The design on this double-woven fukuro-obi (see page 25) symbolically alludes to an episode in The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu.

This summer kimono is dyed with a pattern of Genji wheels and flowing water. The wheels also contain dyed autumn flowers, such as bellflowers and pinks.

Scales Crest

鱗紋

Designs that feature simple groups of triangles are presumed to have made their way to Japan from the continent. Many examples can be seen on items from the Kofun period (300–ca. 552), such as bronze mirrors, ceramics and clay figurines and as surface decorations on ornamental tumulus. They were believed to have properties that brought about reincarnation. Tokimasa Hojo, warrior and first regent of the Kamakura shogunate in central Japan, made the scale-like pattern his family crest. This is because when Hojo prayed to the Benzaiten goddess at Enoshima for the perpetuation of his family line, a giant snake appeared in the form of a beautiful woman and made a prophecy, leaving three scales behind when she disappeared. The scales alone are often used to symbolize snakes, and because of this association obi sporting such patterns are sometimes worn by people born in the year of the snake.

A kimono decorated with the theme of the Noh play Dojoji, involving the props of a temple bell and the cane used to strike it.

A decorative haneri collar (see page 93) embroidered with a scale pattern.

Fruit and Nuts

木の実

The fall harvest season is associated with the wearing of obi and kimono patterned with fruit and nuts. These motifs convey a sense of abundance. The budo-risu mon (literally grape and squirrel crest) pairs grapes and squirrels, as grapes with their clusters of fruit and squirrels with their numerous offspring are seen as auspicious motifs for perpetuation of the family line. This motif can be seen in various illustrations and handicrafts. The background colors of kimono and obi featuring fruit and nut designs are often in autumnal shades that recall the atmosphere of autumn.

This meisen silk kimono (see page 63) was woven with a pattern of leaves and fruit in almost the same colors as the background, creating a subtle effect.

Autumn fruit and flowers decorate this coral-colored crepe haneri removable collar (see page 93).

A ceramic persimmon obi-dome brooch.

Gourds

瓢箪

The bottle gourd (hyotan in Japanese) is an ancient climbing plant belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae. In Japan, the gourd is associated with mythology and folklore and features in the eighth-century Kokiji, the earliest collection of myths. It also signifies happiness and success. Because the gourd grows on a vine, the pattern is said to be symbolic of prosperity trickling down from above. Gourd motifs feature on the costumes of beautiful women in ukiyo-e woodblock prints and in many other art forms.

Here the vines of the gourd have entwined themselves around a bamboo fence. The gourds themselves are painted with chrysanthemums.

Leaves

木の葉

The Japanese have always been surrounded by an abundance of trees lining the streets as well as adorning the grounds of temples and shrines. The distinctive formation and shape of many of the trees’ leaves, such as the maple and gingko, and their beauty in autumnal coloring, as well as the glossy green leaves of evergreens, have inspired generations of craftspeople and figure prominently as a design motif on clothing and in textile patterns.

The tie-dye technique of meisen silk used in the kimono here (see page 63) lends itself to a variety of renderings of leaf patterns and designs.

This splendid meisen kimono design features leaves on withered branches against a backdrop of crest-bearing doors.

A modern design of green and red falling leaves appears on this meisen kimono.

Fallen leaves cover the gray background of this meisen kimono.

Flowers in Pongee

紬の花

Pongee, or tsumugi in Japanese, is a soft, unbleached, washable silk woven from the filaments from wild silkworms. Originally introduced from China, it is often combined with the age-old kasuri tie-dyeing technique to produce rich, lustrous dress fabric suitable for kimono and other clothing (see page 117).

The relatively thick tsumagi woven in the northern Tokamachi region of Niigata Prefecture, pre-dyed using the kasuri technique, is well known for superb flower designs in brilliant colors. The multitude of patterns include patchwork and polka dots, which reflect the Western tastes that were popular at one time.

This pongee fabric has a base color of bluish green into which red and white flowers have been woven.

This dark blue pongee’s weave features roses and primroses.

Ivy

蔦

Ivy patterns are usually seen in summer. Depictions of ivy creeping over a wall, trellis or gate remind us that autumn is on its way and allow a moment of relief in the heat of midsummer.

This ephemeral ivy pattern is expressed only in lines and subtle shading. It dissipates into the extremely light blue background.

This gray crepe haneri collar (see page 93) is embroidered with an ivy design.

Chrysanthemums

菊

No plant is used in such a multitude of patterns as the chrysanthemum. Patterns showing this flower are called kikukamon; designs depicting chrysanthemum attached to stems are known as oriedakiku and flowers standing upright are called tatekikumon. A design in which chrysanthemums are rendered along with flowing water is called kikusui; teamed with a fence the design is called kikumagaki.

There is also much variation in terms of the flowers themselves, from the type whose petals are long and dishevelled, known as rangiku, to the round, extremely abstract kind which appear in works by the artist Kourin Ogata and are called kouringiku. The leaves of the chrysanthemum are an ovoid shape with jagged edges and appear in patterns in the form of rippled lines.

The Chrysanthemum Festival, or Choyo or Kikuno-Sekku, is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth month in the lunar calendar. It is an old Chinese custom that made its way to Japan and was adopted mainly at court. On that day, activities included drinking saké with chrysanthemum petals floating in it and wearing cotton that has been placed on top of the flowers overnight to soak up their dew. Drinking chrysanthemum saké was believed to ward off malevolence and ensure a long life.

This purple rinzu silk satin kimono (see page 33) has chrysanthemum flowers dyed onto it.

This obi has been thinly woven with a chrysanthemum pattern.

This obi has been embroidered with chrysanthemums, blades of grass and ginkgo leaves.

This double-woven fukuro-obi (see page 25) is made from rinzu silk (see page 33) woven in a scale pattern onto which chrysanthemums have been embroidered using white thread.

Beautiful chrysanthemum patterns in both bright and subtle colors, embroidered on three haneri collars.

Famous Sights of Kyoto

京の名所

The practice of depicting famous, easily recognized sights on kimono and obi began in the Edo period (1615–1868). It coincided with the development of the yuzen paste-resist method of dyeing, which resulted in a rich, lush, painterly look. The fine lines drawn in paste were often later enhanced with gold paint or leaf.

Famous landscapes in Kyoto were not merely used as scenery but as a kind of aesthetic standard in designs on kimono and obi. Well-known sights captured in designs include the Kiyomizu-dera temple, Yasaka pagoda and Sanjo-ohashi bridge. Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) is sometimes used as a design on fukuro-obi (see page 25).

This kimono bears a view of Kiyomizu temple painted solely in shades of light green.

Fall leaves at Kyoto’s Kitayama area. The elegant forms of the Japanese cedars at Kitayama are often used in kimono and obi designs.

Modernism Through the Lens of Kimono Patterns

KEIKO TANAKA Lecturer, Kyoto University of Art and Design　

The designs on kimono from the Taisho (1912–26) to the Showa (1926–88) eras include not only auspicious motifs and traditional patterns of past dynasties but also eye-catching, unconventional designs full of fun. Designs such as realistically rendered birds and flowers, Western blooms and exotic scenery in splendid color combinations, as well as geometric shapes and patterns were fashionable at that time, and were ingeniously combined with the elements of Art Nouveau and Art Deco that were popular in Europe.

The world fairs held in countries across Europe from the latter half of the nineteenth to the beginning of the twentieth century introduced patterns from across the world to the continent and had a dramatic effect on Western culture. It is widely known that Japan’s ukiyo-e prints and decorative arts were very popular, inspiring a trend known as Japonism. In the fashion world, Paul Poiret, the “king of fashion,” worked the linear, voluminous forms of the kimono into his designs, sparking a revolution against the corset-bound restrictive dresses of the time, and English and French textiles often sported Japanese patterns. At the same time, plant hunters across the world were gathering hitherto unknown plants and insects, heightening interest in exotic flora and fauna as more and more new specimens were collected. Such encounters with foreign cultures fostered the floral and faunal motifs, freely flowing curves and other organically inspired motifs that typified Art Nouveau.

From the Paris Exposition of 1900, Art Nouveau made its way to Japan as the hottest artistic trend, exerting a massive influence over the arts and crafts of this country. Popular designs on kimono of the time included Art Nouveau-style Western flowers such as roses and tulips, peacocks and butterflies as well as patterns depicting flowing water. These motifs, which at a glance appear to be Western, actually arose from Japonism—in other words, they were Japanese designs which had taken on a Western flavor before returning to their country of origin. It was probably for this reason that they were so readily accepted into Japanese culture. Around this time, the influence they had wielded over Art Nouveau led to a re-evaluation of the patterns of the Genroku era (1688–1704) and the Rinpa school of painting. While it brought the latest Western fashion into Japan, the Art Nouveau trend also inspired a reassessment of Japanese traditional art.

Conversely, the 1920s, with their rapid urbanization and mechanization, created a taste for designs showcasing the functionality, sense of speed and rationality suited to the new age, and the complex forms of Art Nouveau became more abstract, developing into the straight lines, circles, streamlined shapes and other geometric motifs of Art Deco. This movement took its name from the abbreviation for the International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts that was held in Paris in 1925, and in Japanese is also referred to as the 1925 style.

At the start of the Showa era, kimono sport the novel, exciting geometric patterns of the Art Deco movement. Traditional designs of flowers, birds and so on were rendered so abstract as to be unrecognizable from their original forms, taking simple shapes in clear colors to create rhythmical patterns. Added to this was a heightened global interest in regions other than Europe, which led to a craze for folk patterns from Egypt and the Middle East, along with patterns traditionally used on Indian calico. Astonishingly, other avant-garde art movements such as Cubism, Futurism and Constructivism also made their mark on new designs.

At the time, kimono remained the attire of choice for women of the general populace. However, dressed in kimono decorated with modern designs, women could enjoy the latest fashions just like any “modern girl” wearing Western outfits. The novelty of the designs on kimono from the brief period of peace from the Taisho into the Showa era is a testament to women’s enjoyment of the many outfits that embraced new cultures.

Costumes of Kabuki

MIZUHO KAMO Post-doctoral Fellow, Kinugasa Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University

In the Edo period (1615–1868), kabuki theater was the art form of choice for the common people and, as such, it gave rise to all kinds of trends. Patterns associated with the names of popular kabuki actors were used for kimono and accessories, and the flamboyant prints and embroidery and bold designs of kabuki costumes continue to captivate us today. However, the colors and designs of the costumes were not contrived merely for their novelty. They also played a role in visually identifying and conveying the personality of the characters.

Omiwa, the daughter of a saké shop owner, prays for success in love at Tanabata. She believes in the legend which maintains that tying white thread around a man and red thread around a woman using threads made from the same spindle binds them together. The play in which Omiwa appears, Imoseyama Onna Teikin (The Teachings for Women), written by Hanji Chikamatsu and others, was originally performed in the 8th year of the Meiwa period (1771) and continues to be performed in bunraku puppet theater and kabuki today. It is based on minister Fujiwara no Kamatari’s defeat of Soga no Iruka, and also incorporates legends from Yamato Province. Making her appearance in the fourth act, Omiwa falls in love with a craftsman called Motome (who is actually Tankai, the son of Fujiwara no Kamatari). However, Omiwa learns that Princess Tachibana, the younger sister of Soga no Iruka, is visiting Motome. Motome pursues Princess Tachibana and Omiwa pursues Motome. As the story unfolds, so as to be able to trail her, Motome attaches thread from a spindle to Princess Tachibana’s sleeve and, in turn, Omiwa attaches thread from a spindle to the hem of Motome’s kimono.

These days, bunraku and kabuki costumes differ for the role of Omiwa. In kabuki, Omiwa wears an outer kimono of light green with white crests and with a design depicting the game called juroku-musashi along the hem. This costume became standard for the Omiwa role in the years of the Meiji period (1868–1912), with ninth-generation kabuki actor Danjuro Ichikawa (1838–1903) thought to have considerable influence over this. It is likely that the light green color of her outfit was intended to define Omiwa as a country girl. The juroku-musashi design on the hem adds to the visual expression of Omiwa.

Juroku-musashi is a board game which involves moving one “parent” counter and 16 “child” counters around the board, which is divided by lines into rectangles and triangles. At a glance, it would seem there is no connection between Omiwa and the game of juroku-musashi, but the game is also known as musashi. In waka and haiku verse, the musashi is the bridging word that connects two phrases and has the meaning of “sitting on the fence” or pursuing two things simultaneously. If the parent counter resembles Motome, we can see the association with the word musashi, as Motome, holding onto the affections of both Princess Tachibana and Omiwa is “double dealing.” Therefore, although there seems to be no relation between the game and Omiwa, musashi is actually a clever wordplay which expresses perfectly the situation being played out by Omiwa, Motome and Princess Tachibana.

Once we start delving deeper into the patterns and color combinations used in kabuki costumes, the devices employed to please the audience become clear. The patterns on the costumes are not merely the result of wild ideas, but objects familiar to the people of the day, expressed in forms contrived for effect.

A contemporary juroku-musashi design.

Design of Oharame Apparel

MASAKO YAMAMOTO Research Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

In the northeast part of Kyoto’s Sakyo ward, upstream of the Takano River, lies Ohara. It is where the Buddhist nun Kenreimon-in and the hermit Kamo no Chomei spent their secluded lives. Shorin-in and Sanzen-in are among the famous temples in Ohara, and as Ohara was the trade route for goods from Wakasa, the region thrived. Ohara is also known as the center of production for Kyoto-style vegetables pickled in salt with red shiso leaves.

Oharame describes women from the Ohara region who carried bundles of tinder on their heads to sell in Kyoto. A kind of female peddler, they are depicted in scenes from medieval times. Until the widespread use of gas and electricity, selling firewood was one of the chief occupations of Ohara’s women, focusing on winter, the off-season for agriculture. There is an oral tradition that relates the origins of the Oharame costumes as being imitations of the outfits worn by temple maids attending Kenreimon-in during her retreat. In order to make a living, these maids went into the mountains to cut brushwood for sale. Characterized by its navy blue color, which served a functional purpose for the laborers and created a background for the contrasting red and white accents, the outfit is also marked by its unique appearance and by the way the different components are worn.

It is thought that from the middle of the Edo period (1615–68), the outfit consisted of a Kawachi cotton kimono in a navy fabric that was woven with small white patterns. The kimono was paired with a gosho-zome (floral-dyed) obi, into which the hem of the kimono was tucked. Nowadays, a navy or tie-dye kasuri-patterned tsuitake kimono (a kimono which is tailored to the height of the wearer) is worn with an apron, and the kimono sleeves are tucked up with a tasuki (a strip of fabric passed around the back under the kimono, brought out through each of the sleeves and tied at the nape of the neck). A tenugui towel is worn on the head in either fukinagashi (streamer) style (placed on the head with the ends trailing and not fastened) or with both ends brought up in the nosemaki style. On formal occasions, this is exchanged for a navy cotton tenugui embroidered in white thread with verses, fall leaves and so on. Guards made from navy fabric edged in red are tied around the hands with red cord and a wa (ring) is placed on the head to carry firewood.

The characteristic Oharame apron was made from Kurume kasuri (these days other kasuri is also used) and cords made from yuzen-zome or muslin were attached. There is no seam on the lower half of the apron so the two sides are left open, with chi (nipple) and chidori (plover) small cloth appliqué and decorative seams forming design accents. Because of the way the hagaki leggings are wound around the legs, and because of the unique straw sandals that form part of the uniform, the costume’s origins are attributed to Kenreimon-in and her attendants. Legend has it that Kenreimon-in and her attendants folded up their kimono to half the length of the apron and attached both sleeves to the back, making the kimono two and a half standard widths wide.

In addition to the Oharame, there were other female peddlers who came from the outskirts of the city to trade in Kyoto, such as Shirakawame and Hata-no-uba, but it is uncommon to see them on Kyoto’s streets anymore. However, along with maiko (apprentice geisha), the Oharame came to represent Kyoto and its women, and from the latter half of the Meiji period the Oharame became the merchants of Kyoto’s products to locals and tourists alike. Little research has been done on the changing role of Oharame over time, but the Kyoto Antique Fabric Preservation Society’s researches have shone a spotlight on these and other women’s traditions, and on the influence of the past on the women of today.

An Oharame kasuri apron.

Rounded Sparrows

ふくら雀

Fukurasuzume refers to the way sparrows—fluttery, nervous little birds with bald heads—appear rounded out during the cold winter months. This is not an artistic effect. The sparrows fatten themselves up for the winter and also puff out their feathers to keep warm. Regarded as good omens, they are usually depicted perched on stalks of rice or other plants.

Fukurasuzume is also a style of tying an obi on a furisode (see page 25) in the shape of a rounded sparrow.

A piece of crepe with a rounded sparrow pattern.

A haneri decorative collar (see page 93) featuring a sparrow amidst bamboo.

Gosho Dolls

御所人形

Gosho-ningyo are a type of childlike doll made in Kyoto. They are plump, with round, glossy white-painted faces. The name gosho refers to the Imperial palace and comes from the fact that the dolls were beloved at court among noble families and at temples where the head priest was a member of the Imperial family. Often dressed in infant attire, such as swaddling clothes or stomach bands (worn for warmth), they were bought as gifts by the daimyo lords from the western provinces when they called in to pay respects at court on their way to serve at Edo.

These dolls are made from a carved wooden base over which Japanese paper is layered and then painted many times with whitewash, which is then polished to achieve a glossy, translucent complexion. The upper-class custom of dressing male infants in female infant attire has been transposed to these dolls.

The design on this Nagoya obi (see page 8) shows a gosho doll pulling a flower cart.

This nagajuban under-kimono (see page 57) features gosho dolls with plum blossoms. Another example appears on page 71.

This fabric from a nagajuban under-kimono shows gosho dolls holding flower baskets against a checkered backdrop.

This black satin Nagoya obi features another gosho doll pulling a flower cart.

Stripes for Winter

冬の縞

In the early Showa period (1926–88), kimono known as osanpogi (strolling attire) came into being. Economic wealth sparked the birth of “society” and homongi (see page 25) and homonfuku (semi-formal visiting attire) began to be worn for social events. Osanpogi are simpler than homongi but as the apparel of young women seeking marriage prospects, they are not lacking in terms of modernity of design or attractive color combinations. They are generally made of fabrics such as high quality rinzu silk (see page 33) and kinsha, a thin silk crepe. Rinzu is made by twisting fine silk threads to create crimping, while kinsha is made by incorporating a twill into the fabric to create a pattern. These fabrics were designed to highlight the beauty of young ladies.

This osanpogi features a diamond-shaped floral pattern in between its two-toned stripes.

Camellias

椿

“On Mt. Kose

row on row of camellias bloom

As I gaze at them

I yearn for

The spring fields of Mt. Kose.”

—Man’yoshu, 1: 54.

The character for camellia (椿) originated in Japan and consists of a combination of the characters for “spring” and “tree,” revealing the deep Japanese attachment to the camellia whose flowers most evoke the feeling of spring. In ancient times, it was thought to be a sacred tree with mystical powers. The eighth-century Nihon Shoki or Nihongi, the second oldest book of classical Japanese history after the Kokiji records the story of how Emperor Keiko used a stick made from camellia wood to conquer local tribes. From the Kamakura period (1185–1333), the camellia finally gained appreciation as a flowering tree, while in the following Muromachi and Momoyama periods it came to be used as a subject in works of art and craft. However, it was during the Edo period (1615–1868) that the camellia reached its peak. Hidetaga, the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, planted a flower garden in the Fukiage palace and was presented with camellias by various provincial personages, sparking a craze for camellias which led to townspeople planting them in their own gardens. During the Edo period, various inventories, including Hyakuchinzu (One Hundred Camellias) by Kano Sanraku, were produced and advances were made in their cultivation and hybridization. Splendid when used as a pattern on kimono or obi, camellias lend a feeling of warmth when used on haori jackets (see page 65), giving the impression that spring has arrived on the exact spot they are decorating.

A scarlet rinzu haori decorated with sprigs of realistic camellia and flying birds.

A crimson rinzu silk haori jacket (see page 65) with a pattern of stylized camellias.

This saffron-colored haori jacket is dyed with a camellia and arabesque design.

An obi-dome brooch decorated with a camellia.

Camellias at Houzen-in temple, Kyoto. Normally closed to the public, the temple has a special opening every spring.

Hemp Leaves

麻の葉

Before cotton was introduced to Japan in the seventeenth century, hemp was used to make paper and as a fiber crop and for clothing Many kimono designs portray hemp as an attractive plant, usually in the form of geometric motifs. For example, the hemp leaf pattern asanoha (from asa meaning “hemp” and ha meaning “leaf”) is made up of six diamond shapes representing the six pointed leaves at the top of a hemp stem, laid out to form a six-pointed star. The regular geometric pattern, while abstract, represents overlapping hemp leaves. The pattern, and its numerous variations, can be combined with other seasonal motifs or used as the main design on a garment.

Because hemp represents growth and good health, the asanoha pattern was often used on children’s and babies’ clothes and underwear in the hope they would grow up to be as strong as hemp. Kimono bearing the asanoha design can be worn all year round, not only in winter.

This pongee silk kimono (see page 117) bears an overlapping six-pointed hemp leaf pattern.

This hemp leaf obi-dome brooch won the top prize at the third Obidome contest. The pattern was created using a difficult etching technique.

Cranes

鶴

Cranes are are known by various names in Japanese. They are considered mystical birds and are praised for their noble elegance. The notion that they have long lives goes back thousands of years. They live by clear water rather than gathering in forests like regular birds, leading them to be designated “lords of feathered creatures,” sacred birds on whose backs wizards would ride. In China, the characters 雲間鶴 express the concept of flying among the clouds and are used to represent outstanding personalities who have transcended the heights of ordinary people. In recent times in Japan, the unkaku-mon pattern, which combines clouds and cranes, has been reserved for the robes of the Imperial family. Cranes also frequently appear as auspicious symbols on wedding garments and bridal hairpins. As symbols of perpetuating a family line, a pair of cranes may be depicted building a nest on a pine branch, but in reality, apart from a few species most cranes cannot roost in trees and do not nest in treetops. It is likely they have been confused with storks.

Origami-style cranes, a well-known worldwide symbol of peace, often appear on the obi and kimono of children and young women. This checkered children’s kimono is covered with such cranes.

Cherry blossoms are embroidered on the black crane whose folds are outlined in gold stitching.

This silk crepe haori jacket (see page 65) has cranes scattered all over it.

A carved wooden obi-dome brooch depicting a turtle and a crane, both auspicious symbols of longevity and felicity.

Takarazukushi

宝尽し

The takarazukushi design depicts treasures, but the treasures are not gold, silver or precious stones. Rather, they originate from Chinese concepts that entered Japan during the Muromachi period (1334–1573) and may include any of the following: a magic ball, a key, a mallet, a money bag, a hat and rain cape, cloves, a wheel and a scroll.

Each of the treasures has a purpose. For example, the magic ball, a meaningful symbol in both Buddhism and Hinduisn and sometimes shown with flames, has the power to grant wishes when rubbed. The key is to open a storehouse that represents wealth. The mallet is for swinging to make dreams come true. Cloves, because of their rich scent and rarity, represent immortality.

To these traditional Chinese treasures were added two Japanese items: a houshou, a neckpiece made of two diamond shapes tied together with red or peach-colored cord, and a fundou, a balance weight with a beautiful shape. The takarazukushi design may be represented with each treasure within a small woven or dyed pattern or it may incorporate several of the treasures together on, for example a treasure ship (takarabune).

An obi bearing the shippo-tsunagi or oval ring pattern, considered to be a takarazukushi pattern.

Treasure is embroidered onto this Nagoya obi (see page 8).

This Nagoya obi features a takarabune treasure ship carrying a cargo of treasures.

Splash Patterns

大島の柄

Oshima fabric is characterized by its splash patterns, which are achieved through mud dyes. It has been made in Amami Oshima, the largest of the Satsunan Islands that lie between Kyushu and Okinawa, since around the 11th year of the Meiji period (1879). Its commercial appeal increased to such an extent by the early 1890s that there was insufficient handspun thread to meet demand, and from around 1896 the fabric was woven with thread imported from the mainland. Improvements in the quality of the thread in the mid-1930s led to the fabric being woven solely from pure silk, lending it the name tsumugi (pongee) as it is essentially a raw silk textile. With raw silk threads, a very high quality fabric could be produced. In this way, the mass production of Oshima was established from an early time. According to data from the Amami Oshima Tsumugi Cooperative Society, at the peak of production in 1942, some 35800 tan (one tan = approx. 10.6 m/11.5 yd) were produced.

As is often the fate of branded products, the popularity of Oshima sparked many imitations and copies. In particular, it seems that in areas where the kasuri tie-dye technique was already in use, it was not too difficult to produce fabric similar to Oshima. The image (and detail) on page 253, with its distinctive Tatsugo pattern, is genuine Oshima fabric, but in many cases it is impossible to say for certain whether a textile has been woven in Oshima. The definitive identification of Oshima comes down to the presence or absence of certification attached to the bolt of fabric.

This oshima fabric features the tatsugou pattern, which combines flowers of the Japanese sago palm (Cycas revoluta, Jap. sotetsu) and a venomous pit viper (habu) found on the island.

Oshima mud splash patterns typically feature small repetitive motifs.

Toys

玩具

While exotic scenery and objects hitherto not seen by Japanese were used as motifs on garments, familiar items and everyday utensils were also incorporated into the designs. They were an obvious choice for children’s kimono, but toy patterns also appeared on nagajuban under-kimono (see page 57) and the linings of haori kimono-style jackets (see page 65).

Here we can see both new and old designs featuring toys. The toy on pages 256 and 257 is a buri-buri, a popular toy for boys in the Edo period (1615–1868). Similar in shape to an eight-sided mallet, with tapered ends and a thicker mid-section, it was played with by tying a cord to spin it or by attaching wheels and a cord to roll it along the ground. This toy came to be used as a decoration for celebrations, when auspicious motifs such as cranes, turtles and elderly men and women were painted on its sides. During the New Year, it was used as an indoor decoration to ward off evil.

A double-woven fukuro-obi (see page 25) patterned with a dyed buriburi, a toy rolled along the ground by pulling a string.

This Nagoya obi features an embroidered buri-buri.

Fabric from a nagajuban under-kimono of the early Showa period (1926–88).

Fabric from the lining of an early Showa-period haori jacket has both kokeshi and kewpie dolls.

A meisen silk kimono (see page 63) featuring a wooden Japanese kokeshi doll and a Western kewpie doll.

Temari Handballs

手鞠

Temari handballs are a form of folk art that originated in China and came to Japan in about the seventh century. The handballs were initially constructed from old silk remants, wadded to form a ball, then wrapped in strips of fabric. Over time, they became more decorative, with multicolored silk threads wound tightly around a core and intricate embroidery replacing functional stitching. In ancient times, temari were made by palace ladies and maids as playthings, but as the popularity of the balls spread beyond castles to the surrounding towns, they were also made by commoners. Temari are sometimes displayed as ornaments during the Girls’ Festival or given to children by their parents on New Year’s Day. Temari are valued gifts, symbolizing friendship and loyalty.

The ball used in the game of kemari, popular during the Heian period (794–1185), also appears as a pattern on kimono and obi. This ball is made from two pieces of deerskin and the game, an ancient kind of football, was played by noblemen as a sport or as part of a Shinto ritual. Today, it is played at Shinto shrines during festivals. The “willow and ball” pattern combines a kemari ball with a willow branch.

A large area of this red and gold Nagoya obi (see page 8) is embroidered with a temari handball design. Colored threads criss-cross the ball, with the spaces in between embroidered with flowers.

Birds of Winter

冬の鳥

The lonely figure of a bird is common in wintery scenes. Although equipped with layers of fluffy, insulating down to trap heat, finding food in iced-over lakes and rivers and in rock-hard ground is the greatest test. Birds such as the heron, duck and black-headed gull can be seen on many kimono and obi against a backdrop of snow-covered pine trees and icy rivers.

This obi shows a heron standing in a river looking down at fish.

On this obi, a cormorant perches on a basket waiting to spot a fish. The speckled background suggests swirling snow.

This obi is woven with the image of two sparrows and a snow-covered pine.

This azure haori jacket (see page 65) bears a pattern of flying ducks and sparse plum branches.

Nandina

南天

Despite being commonly known as the heavenly bamboo or the sacred bamboo, the nandina is not a bamboo but an evergreen shrub with delicate, bamboo-like foliage. Different varieties bear clusters of red, white or pale purple berries, which the Japanese associate with winter. Beloved for the contrast provided by its berries, the “snow-covered sacred bamboo” pattern has come to feature on kimono and obi.

Historically known as an auspicious tree that can transform troubles or make bad fortune disappear, the nandina also symbolizes endurance as it never dies, valiantly surviving the various seasons. The leaves are thought to have medicinal qualities, while a proverb maintains that the heavenly bamboo can get rid of bad dreams by being shaken.

This rinzu figured silk kimono (see page 33) has been dyed with the pattern of an ox-drawn carriage (see pages 286–7) near a nandina shrub.

A comb decorated with a nandina pattern.

Snow and Snowflakes

雪・雪輪

In regions where snow falls occasionally and disappears immediately, it is an auspicious sign and something to be appreciated. The patterns that incorporate snow motifs reflect this point of view, and snow is treated as an element that creates beautiful landscapes. Among the snow patterns can be seen various depictions of landscapes where snow has built up, including a snowflake pattern. The snowflake pattern has a wide range of design applications, with the inside of the snowflake used as a canvas for various motifs or the contours worked into the design.

This meisen silk kimono (see page 63) has dyed snowflakes containing stylized rose and checkerboard patterns.

A child’s nagajuban under-kimono (see page 57) with a snowflake pattern.

A pair of mandarin ducks flying over a snowy landscape are dyed onto this kimono.

A Nagoya obi (see page 8) with a snowflake pattern filled with floral motifs.

Ise Lobster

海老

The Ise-ebi or Japanese spiny lobster is not only a popular seafood but also a striking motif in textile design. These lobsters, which grow up to 30 cm (12 inches) long, are found in the seas south of central Japan towards Kyushu along the Pacific Ocean coast, and large numbers are caught around the Ise area in Mie Prefecture, hence the name. When cooked the lobster turns a beautiful red color and when depicted with a bent tail is considered a symbol of longevity, hence its appearance on celebratory occasions, such as weddings, since ancient times. Clad in its armor of shell, the lobster’s resemblance to a fearless samurai made it a symbol of good luck beloved among warrior families. The custom of using Ise-ebi as New Year decorations continues today, and it is often placed on ceremonial trays with items such as white rice, dried abalone, dried chestnuts, kelp and sour oranges.

This expertly woven Ise lobster is so realistic it could be a photograph.

Dogs

犬

The dog holds a special place in traditional Japanese society as companion and protector but also in many areas of Japanese culture. Dogs have long been linked to fertility and are also identified with an easy birth and healthy growth for children. Dog designs therefore adorn objects made for both women and children.

Dogs in sculptural form date back to ancient times, and today lion-dogs still stand at the entrances to Buddhist temples to guard against the approach of evil. Traditionally, paper images of dogs were pasted on household doors to ward off fire and theft, and an ideograph of a dog was often placed on a child’s head or attached to his clothing as a protective talisman. Papier maché inubako boxes in the shape of a stylized dog with a humanlike face, a tightly curled tail and a body decorated with floral motifs (see pages 274–5), were commonly placed in a birthing room, near a child’s bedside and in the homes of newlyweds.

This children’s kimono is dyed with patterns that include an inu-bako or dog box, a flat-bottomed box shaped in the form of a stylized dog with a curling tail, half-human half-dog face and body decorated with small floral motifs.

A Japanese spaniel is embroidered onto this Nagoya obi (see page 8).

This dog obi-dome brooch won a prize at the second Obidome contest organized by the Kyoto Antique Preservation Society. It captures very well the traditional characteristics of the dog design.

Winter Scenery

冬の風景

Today, only a small percentage of Japanese wear kimono every day, mostly elderly people who are accustomed to it and those involved in traditional Japanese arts and customs, such as ikebana and the tea ceremony. Not only are kimono expensive because they have to be custom-made, they are also troublesome to put on and not practical compared with Western clothing. Kimono are, however, worn on special occasions.

In the years when kimono were everyday attire and there were no branded or Western goods to entice buyers, women dedicated most of their clothing budgets to purchasing kimono. Manufacturers felt obliged to create new, fresh items for sale each year. When department stores became mainstream, they would set a different “theme” every year and publish them in the form of basic sketches which were followed by the kimono and obi manufacturers. Sometimes their designs were rather unconventional. The production of large numbers of kimono allowed manufacturers to improve their skills and consumer demand grew, creating the perfect cycle of supply and demand.

A winter shoreline scene is depicted on this Nagoya obi (see page 8). The perpendicular cliff face is reminiscent of England’s White Cliffs of Dover. Pines can be glimpsed on a distant shore.

This scene of a boat carrying bundles of twigs and a pine tree appears on a haori jacket (see page 65) and is reminiscent of a picture scroll.

Tomoe

巴

The tomoe is an ancient symbolic pattern, ubiquitous on Shinto and Buddhist temples throughout Japan, in which shapes with round heads and long curving tails, much like commas, are depicted inside a circle. The word tomoe means “turning” or “circular,” referring to the motion of the earth. Tomoe are also commonly thought to be the artistic representation of the crest of a wave (see pages 122–3) or a shape similar to a round arm protector (tomo) worn by archers. Another explanation is that it is the expression of eddying water.

The tomoe pattern can be composed with the tails facing left or right, and there may be one, two or three heads, with corresponding names for each variation. Two-headed tomoe called futatsudomoe and three-headed tomoe called mitsudomoe are the most prevalent. There are also many variations of the tomoe when used in Japanese family crests.

Two mitsudomoe consisting of three elements have been embroidered in red and white on a piece of cerise cloth.

This crepe fabric has been dyed with a futatsudomoe and bamboo pattern.

Majolica Omeshi

マジョリカ

The town of Tokamachi in Niigata Prefecture developed into a major kimono fabric manufacturing region during the fabric boom of the post-war years and into the 1960s. Tokamachi’s ateliers not only supported the huge consumption area of Tokyo, but became known for their skill in producing traditional kasuri blue-and-white fabric woven with fibers tied and dyed to create blurry patterns in the fabric.

Among other items manufactured were omeshi fabrics shot through with gold, silver or colored lamé threads, which became the driving force behind Tokamachi’s rapid growth. One of the most famous was Majolica omeshi. Majolica is the Japanese pronunciation for Mallorca, an island in the Mediterranean Sea under Spanish rule where Majolica ceramics are made and whose famous luster inspired the name for the fabric. Making its debut in 1959, Majolica omeshi entered a market where woven fabrics had faced limitations in terms of the numbers of colors that could be used. Manufactured by combining techniques used in printed weft kasuri and both warp kasuri and jacquard weaves, and incorporating lamé into the weave, Majolica received a utility model patent.

As can be seen in the photo, orange through to green threads are woven into a pale beige ground similar to the color of Majolica pottery, forming gradations of color. These days, omeshi made in Tokamachi using wide lamé threads are all known as Majolica. When Majolica omeshi came onto the market, they were a hit product, and in 1962 set a production record with an annual output of 180,000 tan (bolts). The craze continued for a few years but the synthetic imitations being produced in other manufacturing areas and the rise in raw thread prices brought it to an end. The pieces shown here are typical of Majolica omeshi. They share the color scheme of green graduating to orange with lamé worked into the threads, along with decorative patterns recalling Western wallpaper.

This Majolica omeshi features flowers and leaves.

A woven pattern of flowers with glossy orange and green thread.

This decorative pattern shows vases of flowers.

Ox-drawn Carriages

御所車

A symbol of status, affluence and privilege, the ox-drawn carriage was often seen on the sleeves of the formal tomesode kimono (see page 12) of noble married women from the Muromachi period (1334–1573) through the Edo period (1615–1868). The pattern was believed to bring luck and happiness. An ox pulling a cart was not driven by a seated driver but led by a hostler who walked along with the animal. The majority of people at the time got around on foot and sometimes by horseback or palanquin.

This kimono is dyed with an ox-drawn carriage pattern surrounded by the symbolic combination of pine, bamboo and plum blossom, the "Three Friends of Winter."

This black furisode (see page 25) features an elaborate ox-drawn carriage pattern on each of the lower front panels.

Karajishi

唐獅子

Karajishi are patterns depicting artistic interpretations of imaginary animals based on lions, long admired for their strength and courage and regarded as symbols of power and majesty. The combination of the shishi, or lion, the king of beasts, with the peony, the king of flowers, is seen on folding screens and sliding paper doors. The stylized curls on the body of the animal are hairs or tufts that resemble manji (Buddhist crosses) in flight and are known as keman-mon (hair cross patterns). These circular motifs comprise crescent moon shapes radiating from a central point. They can be seen on the green fabric that is used in lion dances.

This double-woven fukuro-obi (see page 25) is embroidered with lions. The embroidery is done using mostly gilt thread, creating an almost three-dimensional effect.

Another side of the embroidered obi above.

A lion and a peony have been embroidered onto this black satin Nagoya obi.

This crepe is dyed with a lion pattern. The green sections contain radiating crescent moon shapes.

Cattleya

蘭

Cattleya, a genus of species of orchids named after the horticulturalist William Cattley, are among the most beautiful of orchid flowers. Ranging in color from peach to purple, the large, showy flowers comprise three narrow sepals and three broader petals. The lip of one petal has a frilly margin and is flamboyantly marked with specks in a mix of colors such as lilac, pale pink and deep red. Cattleya first appeared as patterns on a kimono in 1906 and, along with roses, became popular in designs during the post-war kimono fabric boom. As an elegant Western flower with an air of refinement about it, the cattleya must have appealed to artists wishing to create fresh new patterns.

A hand-painted design of the Japanese orchid Orchis graminifolia appears on the white cloth of this Nagoya obi (see page 8).

This cerise fgured rinzu silk homongi (see page 25) is decorated with a spray of cattleya.

Formal Gift Decorations

熨斗

Since the twelfth century, it has been a Japanese custom to attach a formal decoration called noshi to gifts to express good wishes. Contemporary noshi are made from red and white folded paper with a yellow strip of paper at the center, but originally the yellow paper comprised finely sliced abalone (awabi) which had been dried and stretched thinly. Considered a token of good fortune, this was known as noshi-awabi and the pattern that represents it is called noshi-moyou. Variations depicted bundles of stretched abalone with uneven ends. A celebratory pattern, noshi-moyou is often seen decorating wedding kimono and obi and also on oilcloths used to wrap household effects traditionally belonging to a bride.

The noshi pattern extends inwards from the bottom left side of this rinzu silk tomesode (see page 12). It and all the other floral designs are worked in silk embroidery.

Turtles

亀

A line in the Noh drama Crane and Tortoise claims “A turtle lives for 10,000 years and a crane for a thousand.” Both turtles and cranes are auspicious symbols of longevity and felicity. There are stories of thousand-year-old turtles who can understand human speech and who have lived for so long that they grow a trail of algae on their shells. These valued creatures are called “cape turtles,” “green-haired turtles” or “green algae turtles,” and in pictures they are shown with green algae flowing after them like a tail. At Kyoto’s Sanjoukeihan Station stands a famous bronze statue of samurai Hikokuro Takayama. An anecdote about Takayama has it that on March 15 in the third year of the Kansei era (1791), he somehow obtained a “green-haired turtle” and presented it to the court as a symbol of luck. This earned him the honor of an Imperial inspection and he was granted permission to visit the Imperial palace for an audience with Emperor Koukaku.

The turtle is a favorite motif of Japanese artisans, especially netsuke carvers. The hexagon shapes on the turtle’s shell has also given rise to textile patterns.

On this double-woven fukuro-obi (see page 25), tie-dye techniques have been used to create the two turtles while other elements are embroidered.

The head, feet and carapace of the turtle on this fan have been created with gilt thread embroidery.

In this riverbank scene on a kimono, gold threads have been used in the pine tree, the crane's back and the turtle's cape. The turtle seems to be part of a three-way conversation.

This detachable haneri collar (see page 93) is embroidered with a turtle at the base of a pine tree. Gold thread has been utilized for the tail.

Phoenix

鳳凰

The phoenix is an imaginary bird, the Chinese characters for which mean “spirit of fire” and “female.” Much debate surrounds its origins, evolution and history but most agree that it is a composite of several creatures, either birds or a mixture of birds and other species. For example, some say it has the face of a swallow, the beak of a fowl, the neck of a serpent, the forequarters of a unicorn, the hindquarters of a deer and the tail of a fish. Its feathers come in five different colors and the characters for respected Confucian values such as virtue, loyalty, benevolence and wisdom are worked into the feathers of its neck, back and chest respectively. It is said that many other birds follow when the phoenix takes flight.

The pattern that includes a parasol tree, bamboo and a phoenix comes from the legend that the bird drinks only sweet spring water, eats only the roots of bamboo and roosts only in the Chinese parasol tree. Legend also has it appearing as an omen of the birth of a virtuous emperor. These various beliefs have made the phoenix a favored motif for celebratory garments.

In the early Showa period (1926–88), designs were given a Japanese touch and color schemes were toned down to make the phoenix motif more suitable for women.

A purple crepe kimono with a phoenix amid chrysanthemums.

An obi with the phoenix pattern.

The New Spring

初春

Since 1873, the official New Year in Japan has been celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, on January 1 of each year. Traditionally in Japan, as in present-day China, Korea and Vietnam, the New Year is based on the lunar calendar when the first full moon of the year, on the 15th day of the first lunar month, approximately in mid-February, is celebrated. The lunar New Year is called the New Spring as both occur simultaneously. Hearts feel lighter and more festive, and it is considered lucky to start the year with a new kimono.

This Nagoya obi (see page 8) features a woven pattern of bamboo and plum blossom in red and white.

This woven cloth shows toys holding on to traditional pine and bamboo New Year decorations in a splashed pattern.

A kite and the sunrise are embroidered onto this haneri collar (see page 93) for New Year.

Winter Memories of My Grandmother’s Tasuki

YUKO NAKAJIMA Coordinator of this Book

When I think of the piercing cold of Kyoto’s winters, the figure of my grandmother spending every spare moment hard at work comes to mind. It was over 50 years ago, and more than 10 years since the war had ended, but my grandmother refused to wear Western clothes and continued to don traditional Japanese dress.

Nowadays, when I see women on television standing in the kitchen wearing traditional cooking coveralls, I am perplexed. “Something’s not quite the same as in the old days…. Did they really wear these coveralls back then?” I ask—and answer—myself, thinking back to the past.

It is not as if my grandmother did not wear these coveralls. My grandfather established an obstetrics and gynecology clinic and when my grandmother helped him there, she wore a freshly washed pure white coverall. As it got gradually dirtier, it would be relegated for use when she took charcoal out of the coal sack.

The coverall was not worn for regular housework. Rather, it was the tasuki (strings for tying back kimono sleeves) and apron that saw the most action. The length of the tasuki was adjusted and the ends sewn together to form a loop to make it quick to put on and off.

In a house where people were always coming and going, guests might visit at any time or tradesmen might call even when one was in the middle of housework. If someone appeared in the entrance hall, my grandmother would whip off her tasuki and apron and receive the caller without showing even the merest hint of the many tasks to hand. She never wore the tasuki in the parlor area except when she was cleaning, and when she was serving tea to her guests she quickly removed the tasuki while she was in the kitchen.

It is only recently that I have realized this clear distinction as to when and where it was appropriate to wear tasuki. What went on “backstage” was not to be revealed. There was a clear division between what was shown to outsiders and what was only for the eyes of the household. This was not because of my grandmother’s individual sense of aesthetics, it was simply what women practiced at the time. Originally, tasuki were used ornamentally in Shinto rituals to rid shrine maidens of impurities. Even though everyday household tasks are not Shinto rituals, the implication of household duties supporting the life of family members is strong, starting with the preparation of meals.

The reason I associate tasuki only with winter days is probably because of the activity before the biggest event of the year—New Year—when all the prayers for happiness in the year to come are bound to domestic tasks, making it the busiest time of year for housewives. The whole house has to be thoroughly cleaned, the garden made neat, undergarments and best clothes prepared, rice cakes made or ordered, special celebratory dishes organized. A Herculean effort is required to get the household in order.

Back when I was a girl, there were no hot water tanks or washing machines, and wearing a tasuki while doing chores left the arms exposed. “You look cold,” I would say to my grandmother, although I cannot recall her reply. But I do remember fondly how her expression would change for an instant, lighting up brightly as if in defiance of the cold.

Index

Note: Page numbers correspond to the print edition.

accessories 35, 79, 153, 156, 167, 169, 175, 229; see also comb, hairpin, obi-dome

Art Deco 156, 172–5, 228

Art Nouveau 25, 156, 228

calico 171, 205, 228; see also kowatari, sarasa

chijimi (lightweight crepe with a puckered surface) 152

China 13, 27, 35, 65, 87, 101, 129, 131, 137, 152, 159, 177, 219, 248, 261, 301, 304

chuya obi (reversible “day and night” obi) 10

cotton 35, 111, 117, 123, 223, 230, 245

crepe 25, 152, 165, 239; see also chijimi, kinsha, omeshi, ryujo-chirimen

dyeing 41, 57, 63, 152–3, 171, 187, 199, 227, 255; see also tie-dye, yuzen

Edo period 13, 31, 33, 41, 61, 147, 152, 153, 156, 171, 189, 227, 229, 230, 237, 243, 259, 286

embroidery 53, 160, 187, 199, 229, 261

Expressionism 182–3

fukuro-obi (double-woven obi) 25, 53, 76, 199, 227

furisode (single woman’s kimono with long sleeves) 25, 53, 233

gauze 78, 95, 139, 152

geisha 78, 178, 230

gosho-zome (floral-dyed) 230

hair decorations 47, 78–9, 175, 248

haneri (removable decorative collar for an undergarment) 79, 93, 175

haori (hip- or thigh-length kimono-style jacket) 65, 79, 243, 259

haori-himo (jacket strings) 79

homongi (semi-formal attire) 25, 239

homonfuku (semi-formal visiting attire) 239

ikat 25, 63, 79, 117, 181; see also kasuri, meisen, shibori

jofu (ramie linen) 152

kabuki 5, 19, 24, 78, 153, 229

kasuri (fabric made from fibers dyed using the ikat resist-dyeing technique) 63, 117, 181, 219, 230, 255, 285

kinsha (thin silk crepe) 239

kosode (short-sleeved kimono) 61

kowatari sarasa (printed calico) 171

linen 54, 111, 152; also see jofu

Meiji period 25, 41, 57, 152, 156, 175, 229, 230, 255

meisen (silk decorated with the kasuri or ikat technique) 63, 181, 217

mojiri-ori (weaving technique) 152

muslin 44, 57, 230; see also yuzen-zome)

nabeshima-sarasa (type of calico) 171

nagajuban (full-length kimono undergarment) 57, 79, 93, 112, 133, 259

Nagoya obi (most commonly used type of obi) 8, 18

Nara period 13, 73, 152, 159, 171

nobility 8, 101, 147, 165, 207, 209, 237, 261, 263, 286

obi-age (bustle sash) 79

obi-dome (obi sash brooch) 79, 93, 156, 175

obi-jime (obi sash cords) 78, 79, 156, 175

omeshi (heavy crepe silk woven of pre-dyed threads) 25, 165, 205, 282, 285; Majolica omeshi 282–6

osanpogi (strolling attire) 239

Oshima (fabric characterized by splash patterns) 253–5

pongee (luxury silk) 117, 130, 219, 245, 255

rinzu (silk satin damask) 33, 50, 53, 125, 222, 225, 239, 241, 292; figured satin 35, 69, 137, 239, 267, 290, 292

ryujo-chirimen (luxury grade of striped crepe) 163

sakai-sarasa (type of calico) 171

sarasa (calico) 171

shibori (ikat fabric) 79, 99

Showa period 5, 15, 23, 25, 29, 44, 47, 59, 63, 65, 67, 78, 79, 99, 109, 127, 139, 141, 149, 152, 156, 159, 175, 183, 228, 239, 259, 299

silk see crepe, gauze, kinsha, meisen, omeshi, pongee, rinzu

suehiro (folding fan) 177

Taisho period 13, 73, 152, 159, 171

Tale of Genji 53, 87, 105, 115, 206–7

tasuki (sleeve strings) 230, 302

thread: dyeing, 25, 63, 165; in embroidery 50, 288, 294, 297; lamé 285; in legend, 24, 101, 229; spools of (motif; see also odamaki) 54; weaving 25, 33, 63, 152, 165, 239, 255

tie-dye, 25, 63, 76, 127, 187, 217, 219, 230, 255, 285, 294

tomesode (formal kimono worn by married women) 12, 61, 99, 199, 286

tsuitake (kimono tailored to the height of the wearer) 230

tsumugi see pongee

uchikake (outer robe) 189

uchiwa (round fan) 78, 147, 153

ukiyo-e 25, 147, 153, 215, 228

weaving 41, 54, 63, 101, 152, 285; see also mojiri-ori

Western: clothing 156, 228, 279; design 25, 285; flowers 31, 137, 149, 228, 291; style 156, 175; taste 219

wool 57

yukata (casual unlined summer kimono) 78, 111, 123, 153

yuzen (paste-resist method of dyeing) 152, 227

yuzen-zome (muslin) 230

Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

www.tuttlepublishing.com

ISBN 978-4-8053-1428-9
ISBN 978-1-4629-1926-0 (ebook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016956551

Kimono no Monyou to sono Mikata: Monyou no Kakuzuke, Imi, Jidai Haikei, Yurai ga Wakaru

Copyright © Keiko Nitanai 2013

English translation rights arranged with Seibundo Shinkosha Publishing Co., Ltd. through Japan UNI Agency, Inc., Tokyo

Translation © 2017 by Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

Translated from the Japanese by Leeyong Soo

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

Distributed by

North America, Latin America & Europe
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon,
VT 05759-9436 U.S.A.
Tel: 1 (802) 773-8930
Fax: 1 (802) 773-6993
info@tuttlepublishing.com
www.tuttlepublishing.com

Japan
Tuttle Publishing
Yaekari Building, 3rd Floor, 5-4-12 Osaki,
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141 0032
Tel: (81) 3 5437-0171
Fax: (81) 3 5437-0755
sales@tuttle.co.jp
www.tuttle.co.jp

Asia Pacific
Berkeley Books Pte. Ltd.
61 Tai Seng Avenue #02-12, Singapore 534167
Tel: (65) 6280-1330
Fax: (65) 6280-6290
inquiries@periplus.com.sg
www.periplus.com

Printed in China     1612XL

20 19 18 17     10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

TUTTLE PUBLISHING® is a registered trademark of Tuttle Publishing, a division of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

About Tuttle
“Books to Span the East and West”

Our core mission at Tuttle Publishing is to create books which bring people together one page at a time. Tuttle was founded in 1832 in the small New England town of Rutland, Vermont (USA). Our fundamental values remain as strong today as they were then—to publish best-in-class books informing the English-speaking world about the countries and peoples of Asia. The world has become a smaller place today and Asia’s economic, cultural and political influence has expanded, yet the need for meaningful dialogue and information about this diverse region has never been greater. Since 1948, Tuttle has been a leader in publishing books on the cultures, arts, cuisines, languages and literatures of Asia. Our authors and photographers have won numerous awards and Tuttle has published thousands of books on subjects ranging from martial arts to paper crafts. We welcome you to explore the wealth of information available on Asia at www.tuttlepublishing.com.