Catalog (216)

Antique Japanese men’s silk juban, an undergarment worn under a kimono. The dimensions: 51 ½” across and 53” from shoulder to bottom hem.

Japanese cotton obi from mid to late Showa period, 1980s(?). This obi was sold from the Mitsukoshi Department Store (2 logos attached at the corner). 100 percent cotton, new condition with some color loss. 12 1/4" wide x 141" long; it weighs approx. 1.2 pounds.

This is a very elegant and high quality Japanese silk obi from Nishijin, Kyoto. The dimensions of the obi are 12 1/4" wide and 160 3/4" (13'4 3/4") long. About two-thirds of the front (104" long) is woven with gold. There are 2 full designs of an ox-cart with pine branches in the center area – only one of them is shown in the first photo – the other one is on the other side.

Silk textiles, particularly when they are woven with gold, can look very different in depending on the envi...

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

This is a Japanese silk obi with a painting of men transporting lumber down the river. It is a scene that became obsolete as new technologies, such as trains, trucks and the creations of dams, developed. It is hand painted on silk with an artist’s signature and seal. We will bring more photos once the obi is flattened from the Nagoya style obi – currently, this obi is being worked on (hand sewn) by a professional.

A formal Japanese maru obi with auspicious designs; containers for an old shell matching game, hand drums, fans, ho-o Chinese phoenix bird and kiri leaves. It is made with a thick silk brocade and thick padding. The gold color (genuine gold) is particularly beautiful in this obi. Excellent condition. This obi will make a beautiful addition for your home. Dimensions: 12 5/8” wide x 13’6” (162”) long

This is the most formal and elaborate style of obi called maru obi. The designs run through the entire obi from one end to the other on both sides. The dimensions: 12" wide x 12'5"(161") long. The cost of making one maru obi is substantially higher than a typical obi. The design here include chrysanthemums, wild flowering plants of autumn, fans and Genji wheel that implies the presence of graceful aristocrats from the Heian period(794-1185). The chrysanthemums by the water (old bridges here)...

This is an old Japanese silk obi. The style of the obi is called Chu-ya (day and night) obi – it’s made with two different fabrics sewn together. As the name suggests, two sides of the obi can be worn for totally different social functions. Both sides are absolutely beautiful on this obi.

The front side of this obi is subtle but quite tasteful. As for the black side, it is ‘Nyogen’ silk fabric from China; there are two characters, ‘nyo gen’ and their distinctive red logo (p...

Large antique furoshiki (Japanese wrapping cloth), aizome Japanese indigo dye decorated in sashiko stitches on four corners. 57 1/4" x 61 1/4"

Elegant Japanese Cotton Jacket with sashiko hand stitches, slits on the sides, new condition. The small stitches go through from the front to back or back to front. The stitches on the front were sewn right along the stripes that they do not show up much but it gave a nice, gentle texture to the front. Dimensions: 37" wide x 39" long

Antique kasuri hanten jacket with sashiko stitches, 48 1/4" wide x 37 1/2" long.

Thick antique cotton futon fabric, Aizome Japanese indigo dye and the design is drawn in Tsutsugaki paste regist. Color Loss. 49" wide x 61" long.

Hand stitched Japanese short jacket, 36" wide x 33" long.

Old Japanese stripe cotton jacket in new condition. Dimensions: 53 1/4" wide x 38 3/4" long

A set of yoroi and kabuto for Boy's Day in Japan. The condition is almost new except the color (salmon pink) of strings is not so reddish (dull, faded color). There is a straight crack along the wood grain on the lid - did not show up well in the last photo. Total height is 30 1/2". The dimensions of wood box are 16 1/2" wide x 13" long x 12 3/4" high.

Old kasuri (Japanese ikat) kimono worn on celebratory occasions. The fabric, which is woven with asa(hemp) and dyed in indigo (aizome), is coarse and stiff yet lustrous with an almost transparent look. The pattern is geometrical and pictorial; with flowering wisteria branches, stylized pines, Chinese style clouds, fans and phoenix-like birds. It shows some weakened area from neck to shoulder lines and the lower part of the kimono. There is a seam at 21.5"/22" from the bottom hem. Looking at ...

This is the upper part of a kamishimo; samurai's formal attire without the trousers. It was worn over a kosode (kimono with small sleeves) with trousers. The texture is hemp like; coarse, slightly translucent, thick threads (thicker than other kamishimo). The family crest is the feathers of a hawk. Kami-shimo (upper-lower) that we currently have are quite dandy and fashionable. The amazing thing is the work that is involved when making these fabrics. You can make a kamishimo top into a g...

Hand spun, hand woven Japanese Tsumugi silk obi. This obi was made from a full obi roll without being cut; the front fabric was turned into the back and the sides of obi were simply sewn together without padding inside. The design area covers exactly half of the front. New Condition (almost). Dimensions: 11 3/4" x 10'8" (128")

This is an old silk satin obi in maru obi style (design runs on both sides from one end to the other). This obi was probably made from a uchikake gown. It is very soft and feather light with soft padding inside. The padding is wrapped with floss silk inside to keep the soft material and padding intact - you need many years of experience. The design is auspicious with cranes, chrysanthemums and sho-chiku-bai (pine, bamboo, plum blossoms), all delicately woven with floss (untwisted) silk yarn...

Decorative Japanese summer kake fukusa (gift cover) with a pair of carps(koi) in the water. Circa mid Showa, 1960-1980. Dimensions: 22" x 19 3/4" (58.5cm x 50.2cm)

Decorative Japanese summer kake fukusa with a pair of carps(koi). Circa 1960-1980. Dimensions: 30" x 25 1/2" (76.5cm x 64.5cm) The condition is clean all and all with some small stains in the lower right corner and some faint storage stain (shown in the photos).

Antique Chinese fan with two lovely women hand painted on feathers. The body of the fan appear to be made of bone. The colors of the peacock feathers are beautiful.The light reflected in gold (frame), took away the age. All and all, It has more antique look than shown in the photos. We just had the nails (that hold the glass to the wooded frame) checked, and hanging wire and brackets changed. 30 1/4" W x 18 1/4" H x 2 1/4"D

Beautiful Kyoto Nishijin silk obi, decorated with flowers, ribbons and mirrors. Gold is genuine and used in two different methods; strips of gilt paper (machine cut) and gold leaf wrapped around the silk threads. Some gold leaf are natually missing from the strips of paper - this did not show up in most photos (see enlargement photo). This obi looks older (clean) than shown in the photos. Circa 1920-1940. Dimensions: 12 3/4" x 170"

The theme on this fukusa (Japanese gift cover) is “Kin ki Sho ga”, four accomplishments of noblemen. For a man to be well balanced and eventually become a good leader, practicing (and become good at) of “Kin ki Sho ga” was encouraged during their leisure time; ‘Kin’ (Jp. Koto, string music instrument), ‘ki’ (jp. ‘Go’, Chinese chess), ‘sho’ (calligraphy) and ‘ga’ (painting). This started in China and was brought back to Japan by traveling monks studying Buddhism...

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

Top quality Kyoto Nishijin obi in maru obi style (design on both sides). We think this obi is from 1930-1940. No damages. Dimensions: 12 5/8" x 13'5"(161.5")

Takeda dolls are modeled after the popular characters from the theater play during the Edo period. They are known for their exaggerated posture and facial expressions of the puppet dolls and kabuki actors on stage. The dolls in this style, with the distinguished Kabuki actor’s makeup called ‘kumadori’ (first created by Danjyuro Ichikawa I, 1660-1704) were made in late Edo to early Meiji period. The dolls might have been sold in large cities such as Osaka and Edo(Tokyo) where the...

Old oxcart for Hina Matsuri, the Japanese girl's festival. Decorated in makie on lacquered wood, this style of the carriage was used by the aristocrats during the Heian period (I794-1185). This can be displayed with the "shittei (shitei)", three servants dolls and/or other small dolls. The carriage is tied to the stand in original condition which needs to be untied after the shipment. The strings have been putting pressure on the two front legs of the ox. The legs can be easily straight...

This is an impressive set of Emperor and retainer dolls for the Japanese Boy's Day. The decorations for this day include Carps, Yoroi and Kabuto (Samurai's Armor and helmet), swords, arrows and some famous hero and legendary figures from the past. The Emperor doll is 17 inches tall and 15 inches wide (sleeves stretched as shown), the retainer is 11 inches tall. Circa Taisho to early Showa.

Sets of Emperor or Empress with the retainer dolls were particularly popular in the Meiji to Taisho pe...

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

48” (1.22m) wide...

Beautiful Japanese maru obi! Obis can be used as a belt to hold a kimono together. The classic design from the Heian Period (794-1192AD) of ox carts, fans and court music instruments run throughout the front and back. The gold is woven into the fabric almost entirely and sparkles when it is hit by light – it has much gentler tones in the dark. The earth tone green and rusty brown are particularly pretty on this obi. With a thick padding inside, this obi will make a great decoration pi...

Hakata ningyo, unglazed Japanese ceramic doll, signed by the well known Hakata ningyo artist, Genzo Soda. The words "early spring" is written next to the artist's signature. This could be the name of the doll or the time of the year that this doll was made. Mr. Genzo Soda is designated as an intangible cultural property holder of Fukuoka prefecture and is the recipient of numerous awards such as the Japanese Prime Minister's award, International Trade and Industry Secretary’s award, Fu...

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

Noh Mask (noh-men), Hanakobu Akujyo (Akujou), bumpy nosed fierce old man. Besides the distinctive nose, he has a deep V-shaped crease between his eyebrows and the veins on his temples to his forehead, piercing bulging eyes, teeth painted in gold, with a tan colored horsehair beard and mustache. Not an ordinary face of an old man, he appears to possess something supernatural. This men(mask) is very lightweight. Written on the reverse side is "Hana kobu Aku jyo" in gold. His mask is large for ...

Miyazaki Shikki (lacquer wares) box, 10" x 12 5/8" x 4", new condition, circa late 1900s. The red is actually darker than shown in the pictures.

The high humidity and temperature in Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu (southern island, Japan) is perfect for drying lacquer wares. During the Pacific War, there was a group of people who migrated from Okinawa to Miyazaki. Among them were the artisans and workers from the Ryukyu Lacquer Ware. It was at a time that over 200,000 casualties were re...

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