Catalog (93)

This is a beautiful example of an old Kyoto Yuzen dyeing. In this kimono, you can see the white lines around the designs, the very characteristic of Yuzen dye. This is where the rice paste is used to resist the dye and is later washed off. The dye on the silk bleeds. By outlining or covering the design area with the paste, the dye artists can work with the design more freely in detail than in the older pre-Yuzen method, which simply uses dip dying and/or embroidery. This is the revolutionar...

Antique Japanese “Yogi” bed comforter, hand-spun cotton with "tsutsugaki" paste resist dye in aizome Japanese indigo dye. The design is auspicious symbol, Sho-Chiku-Bai (pine, bamboo, plums). The shoulder and collar areas are accented with "kasuri" cotton. Excellent condition - no holes on the front except one small L shape cut (3/4"x3/4") on the lower area, some repairs on the liner. Cotton wadding was taken out and cleaned (but not washed). Approximately 57" wide x 77" long, ...

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

This gown had been used as a rental. The condition is not new like most of my other gowns are. Some large stains are shown in the lower collar area (see Enlargement 9) and several small stains in the other areas - shown in the other enlargements. It is a whitish creamy color. Dimensions are: 51"w x 71"h with 41" sleeve length
Great decorating material.

This is a beautiful vintage kasuri kimono in new condition. The color is dark Japanese indigo blue (aizome) and white. The fabric is thicker and loosely woven, all hand sewn. Dimensions: 47 3/4" (sleeve to sleeve) x 52" long

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

This is an old man's silk Jyuban, an undergarment worn under a kimono, a luxury from the past. Strange, but you will find quite a work of art in the undergarment, much more than finding them on the outer kimonos. The carps are tie-dyed. Other than a faint stain right above the right side carp, it is in excellent condition. This stain wil not show up unless you look at it under the sun. The measurements are 52" in width and 53" in length. No lining.

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 “kataginu” (shoulder cloth), only the upper vest of kamishimo without a trouser. Kami-shimo simply means top and bottom in Japanese. It was a high ranking samurai’s formal attire when they attended official meetings at the Edo castle. It was worn over kosode (kimono with small sleeves) with trousers. The shoulders are arch shaped and this was the style that developed in the late Edo period (1603-1868). Longer trousers (approx. 1.5 times longer) were chosen for special occa...

This is “kataginu” (shoulder cloth), only the upper vest of kamishimo without a trouser. Kami-shimo simply means top and bottom in Japanese. It was a high ranking samurai’s formal attire when they attended official meetings at the Edo castle. It was worn over kosode (kimono with small sleeves) with trousers. The shoulders are arch shaped and this was the style that developed in the late Edo period (1603-1868). Longer trousers (approx. 1.5 times longer) were chosen for special occa...

Taiko bashi (arched bridge) in very beautiful red! The condition of this Japanese wedding gown is very new. The measurements are: 51"w x 71"long

Please see my other Japanese wedding gowns.

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

This gown has an exceptionally beautiful red. It is satin but feels almost like velvet. The condition is new, probably never been used. The bottom padding was still covered with a white cloth when this Uchikake was purchased (Enlargement 5). The measurements are 53" wide and 73" long.

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

Please see my other Uchikake gowns.

Amazingly beautiful antique Japanese obi. This is a very high quality Nishijin obi. The condition is new with basting stitches. Very fine gold threads are woven into the base silk adding a subtle but shinny look to this obi (tan color comes from this). Crystal clear sky to turquoise blue, beautiful earth tone shades of purple to pink and moss green, you must see to believe this beauty. The high quality gold was woven extensively throughout (not only in the design area) and it shines by pick...

Thick, coarse asa (hemp) kimono in beautiful condition: The collar is made out of an old cotton Kasuri, all hand done. Rare find from the Meiji period (1868-1912).

38 inches (sleeve to sleeve) x 36 inches (shoulder to bottom hem)

This is a Japanese Nishijin obi made in exceptionally high quality. The obi is old but almost in perfect condition. It is beautiful to look at even without using a magnifying glass. The soft colors have an earth tone and the use of the dyed threads tells us that this is a superior work of Kyoto Nishijin. The scenery is of the mountains of Kyoto but if you look closely, you might notice that there is a foreign look to some of the structures. The size of each structure is 1" to 2.5". The...

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