Catalog: Archives (152)

These 26 assortments of Japanese kasuri patchwork cloths came from old kimonos (some are new), thin to thick cotton. Some have tiny holes, fadings or repairs. One is lined with an ai dye blue fabric.

The largest one is 13 3/4" x 25 1/2"; the smallest 6" x 6 1/4". The total length together: 13 3/4" x approx. 23'(276 inches)

What is unusual about this Uchikake is that the fabric has a plastic coating. This is the only one that I have seen with this type of finish. This gown will survive nicely in the high traffic area or you can even hang it by the fireplace in your home. The color is orange. There are some areas that the plastic is missing (last picture). This is something that I did not see until I started to view these pictures (shown in last picture). Other than that, the condition is like new...

Kogai hair stick: 6 1/2" long. The metal is brass with silver petals. The orange flowers are coral. The decoration is both hammered into the metal with a dye and engraved using a chisel. This dates from the late Meiji or Taisho period.

We learn how people lived in the Edo period (1603-1867) from the dolls (ningyo) that were left to us today. They are called Fuuzoku (customs and manners) ningyo or Ukiyo (floating world) ningyo. There are basically two types of dolls of young men among them.

Wakashu ningyo is one of them. Wakashu was used to refer to young men who had yet to experience the ceremonial rite of passage of becoming a man, commonly at the age of 12 in the old time...

This is an interesting collection of 54 Japanese hair ornaments dating back to the Meiji period (1868 to 1912), in lacquer, ivory, bone, tortoiseshell (bekko), coral, jade, crystal, celluloid and metal; all displayed in a glazed frame. Additional free Kanzashis are added to this collection (see the last enlargement picture). Dimension: 21 3/4" x 25 3/4"

This item will be shipped from Japan. Please allow two weeks for the delivery to the US...

This Bizen yaki is an older pottery, the uninterrupted history of more than one thousand years, from Okayama prefecture, Japan. Bizen pottery is one of “Rokkoyou”, six famous potteries from Japan like Seto, Tokoname, Echizen, Shigaraki and Tanba. These types of hand made plates are mass-produced from the very end of Edo to early Meiji, early to mid 1800s...

The fabric was probably cut out from an old kasuri futon blanket and made into Yu-age. What is Yu-age? When I purchased this beautiful wall hanger like piece (I thought), I was told that this was Yu-age, an old fashioned sounding name to me. This is a bath towel according to the Japanese dictionary. It has never been used, in case you are wondering. All the basting stitches are clean...

I have never seen this type of Hina Goten (Palace) until I found this one. No longer a spring chicken myself, I asked several people in Japan if they knew anything about this style. No one knew. We may call this a rare find. The Hina ningyo (doll) set that I grew up with was displayed in the steps style, which is still a common way of displaying 15 dolls with furnitures as long as a space permits...

This is a Japanese lacquered hair comb and pin set. The dimensions of the comb are 2 1/4 inches by 4 1/12 inches long. The length of the hair pin is 6 1/2 inches long. It is probably from the Taisho to early Showa period.

This is a very high quality Kyoto Nishijin silk brocade obi, one of the best quality obi that we are currently offering. You may find the same type of designs in newer or even in old obis, but the quality of silk and the fine embroidery would not be the same. I have been always searching for the same obi after purchasing this obi in Japan. The seach is still continued. The originally white color is now aged to a beautiful creamy tan color, excellent condition...

Antique Japanese kesa, purple satin silk brocade. Kesa was originally made from scraps of material donated to the priests. People who gave to Buddhist institutions were often keen to give very expensive items, so some fabulous kesa were created from wonderful silk brocades. This also could mean that the wealthier temples end up collecting the better fabrics or able to send out for the expensive custom made kesa as this...

When you look at an obi like this, you know why the name "Nishijin" is so known. This is a very formal obi, the biggest obi that I have seen, 13" wide and 154" long. Just a perfect piece for the formal dining room. It is large enough to cover two formal dining room tables...

Japanese chigo ningyo (doll), Kyoto doll from 1920-1940. Chigo simply translates into a “young child” and the distinct hairstyle of this doll is called Chigo-mage. In the old days, there was a custom among the kuge (aristocrats) class families to send their young boys away to temple for early training. The dolls were made in late Edo period (1603-1868) portraying the looks of these young boys. The dolls have chigo wa(loops) hairdos with two loops on the top and the faces are...

Fierce looking old Samurai ningyo (Japanese doll) in rare museum quality. His head is carved wood and the face resembles kabuki actors or Jyoruri ningyo (18th to 19th century puppet theater dolls) from the Edo period (1603-1868). It is definitely a work of art.

The Suoh, the outfit that the doll is wearing, was worn by different ranking samurais at various periods in history. The fabric is made out of Asa (Japanese hemp) and the rest is silk. The doll is someone in a very high ran...

A Japanese lacquered agiro pipe case (kiseruzutsu) finely decorated with a cockerel and hen, signed Shinsen (?). The pouch is tooled leather with iron and silver cockerel and hen inlaid with a gold clasp. The ojime is shaped as Daikoku's mallet in unknown material. The actual color of pipe case is closest to the photo #11. 19th century, late Edo period. Dimensions: Pipe case, 8 1/2 " long, tobacco pouch, 5 1/4 " x 3 "

It is hard to make out the second character of the signature. I...

This is an antique fukusa (Japanese gift cover) that the design came from the old folk tale called Urashima Taro. It is the story of a man who rescued a turtle from a group of cruel children. The turtle, who happened to be a princess of a dragon palace in disguise, returns later to thank him. The turtle invited him to tour the undersea world to her palace. He spends many days wined (with sake, I suppose) and dined, forgetting the time. As he finally realizes the time and is ready to return,...

Very impressive Japanese clay doll, 17 inches tall oiran geisha ningyo (doll). When the hina dolls were limited only to a few wealthy people, these clay dolls were for regular people (more than 90 percent of the population). Most of the clay dolls in the mid Edo period (1603-1868) have their roots in the Fushimi clay dolls of the Kyoto area which were originally sold as souvenirs to the pilgrims on the way to the Fushimi Inari Shrine. While the early clay dolls in the Edo period sti...