Catalog: Archives (152)

"Chinese beauty is", according to my Chinese friend, "she should walk like a weeping willow, her eyebrows should be fashionably shaped like its leaves and her long fingers must not show any trace of hard work" – I kind of love this part... Here she is sitting in a chair waiting to be carried by her new husband.

This is a very famous Chinese scene, new bride going home to visit her mother for the first time. This ritual follows three days after the wedding...

The design of this kimono is done in Kyoto Yuzen dye (famous paste resist dyeing method) and Bokashi (gradual shading). It is a formal wear with 5 mon (family crest). Top half of the lining is done with a beautiful red silk and the bottom half is done with the same black silk from the front...

The design is done with "Kaioke", the shell boxes. They were used in shell matching game, a popular game played in the Edo period (1603-1868). The design that you see here is not patchwork. The silk was dyed first leaving the areas protected, then the designs were painted on later. Some needlework was added later to enhence the design. The condition of this kimono is excellent and wearable. There is no color loss, very high quality item. The measurements are 50

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...

This summer obi is made out of soft "Ro" silk with a gold tint. The silk on the front side is in mint condition (never been used) with an antique looking silk liner. Soft and high quality obi. It comes with basting stitches all around. The design on the silk is a picture of Karuta cards with beautiful calligraphy of old “waka

Beautiful silk kimono. It's a pricy item in Japan. This silk is not a soft kind, coarse kind without a liner for the summer use. The color is lined with a very white soft silk. Nagoya style obi is included. If you have any question, please call me or e-mail me. The measurements are 48" wide and 60" long.

Guaranteed to brighten up your place. I have another wedding gown like this one. There is no sentimental reason, but it always ends up on my wall in every new location. Mine is a newer kind (40 to 50 years old) like this gown and pretty gaudy in color (it used to be much brighter) but it just shows off well. So, this might be your piece! The lining is a soft red silk. Actual gown looks older than these photos. The measurements are 51" wide and 72" long.

This is an older (40 to 50 years) Japanese screen. The frame is black lacquered wood with a silk border. The dimensions are 36" high and 71" wide. There are some damages in the back which does not affect the front. There is a small hole by the stand in pic #6. You may not see it in the picture (it is small).

This is a current Nishijin textile, a very pricey item in Japan. This is an authentic one, it is woven thick like an obi sash. I have two hangings listed here. This is the larger one. The details, especially the gold thread, did not show up in the pictures. The theme is the aristocrat's graceful life in court during Heian Era (794-1192AD). You see a princess figure wearing 12 layered kimonos...

The measurements for this obi (maru obi) is quite large, 12 3/4"w x 153" wide. Condition is very new with some basting stitches still intact.

Beautiful man's short jacket, hand painted on Asa(hemp). It is in excellent conditon, very rare to find this quality in this condition. This type of kimono is becoming very scarce every year.

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. The colors are pastel, very gentle. When this obi was woven, the gold thread was woven in together. Every dot and line that you see in these pictures is the gold thread. It is a thick textile without a thick padding...

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...

This is a beautiful old Japanese Shusu (lustrous Satin-weave) obi with the finest embroidery work. Condition of the silk is excellent. It feels so soft, totally different from the newer obis. Color is a shiny deep blue. There is one seam in the center of the front and two in the back. Converted from Nagoya style obi to a flat obi of 11 1/8" wide x 80" long, all the works are done profesionally by hand. The design areas are balanced on each end of the front side this way...

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 old pair of candle holders is called Shokudai. The large tweezers hanging from a hook is used to pinch the wick. Then, the wick will be stored in the small brass pot. The base of these holders and plates are beautifully shaped like lotus flowers which has been always associated with Buddha and the temples. It weighs over 10 pounds packed and 26.8 inches tall. Circa, Meiji period (1868 to 1912). Original wood box. The shipped directly from Japan, it usually takes two to three week...

This is a newer Hakata doll. Hakata doll was originated by a roof tile maker in the early 17C during the construction of Fukuoka castle. Hakata is located on the Kyushu island (southern island in Japan), famous to other porcelain makers such as Satsuma, Imari, Nabeshima and Hirado.

She looks quite different from the 50’s Hakata export dolls, looking more like a dancer with an umbrella than a Geisha. She is 15 ¼” tall and her "Kanzashi" hair accessories and the umbrella are removal...

Through the Nanbansen trade, the Portuguese introduced two important things to the Japanese in the 17th century. They were the matchlock gun and tobacco. As the popularity of tobacco spread rapidly to all classes, there was the need for a tray or box to hold the utensils. Tobacco-bon came to be the "must have" entertainment piece in the Edo period (1614-1868). Along with the widespread use of charcoal in the mid Edo, metal and ceramic pot style ashtrays were used to keep the fire (charcoa...

This is an old Yogi, a futon/blanket for the colder parts of Japan. It is a thick cotton dyed in the "Japanese blue", ai/indigo with a tsutsugaki (freehand painted rice paste resist) family crest on the back and stuffed with a cotton inside. The whitle little spots that you see are cutton balls from inside. The condition is excellent; some faint brown stains on the right side bottom and the lower left side bottom of the inside which is giving a charactor to this beautiful piece. Small cuts a...

This painting is done by Sosen Kano (1813-1897), a well-known painter in the late Edo period who was the Edo Shogunate’s designated painter.

Here is a peaceful scene of a child sitting backwards on the back of an ox strolling under a weeping willow tree. This painting shows the monotonous scene of the country and the trust between the two catching the expression of the ox beautifully. Painted on silk, it is in the excellent conditionwith with some repair on the silk mounting. The ro...

Hagi Yaki is a thick, grained pottery with a thin yellowish-white or bluish-pink glaze with large crackles. It is originated by a Korean potter as many other Japanese potteries are. Hagi ware is especially known for the beautiful changes that follow after each use. The town Hagi is located in the very southern tip of Honshu main Ireland, right next to Kyushu Ireland.

This hagi ware is from Seiunzan-Okada kiln, which has been in operation since 1782. Okada Yutaka (1946-present) the 8th ...

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 designs are pressed in and baked in a very high temperature flame ‘til it becomes as dry as it could be.

Each side mea...

NEW BOOK: This is the most popular quarterly antique magazine published in Japan. It is from Gakken, Gakushu Kenkyu-sha. This is their the 24th edition, published on Nov 15, 2001. I had a chance to purchase one of these series a year ago. Within a year I looked for others and purchased the next two books when they were available.

"Picture tells all" describes this book. You can enjoy this book without knowing the language. It shows the details in the pictures. This edition sh...

NEW BOOK: This is the most popular quarterly antique magazine published in Japan. It is from Gakken, Gakushu Kenkyu-sha. This is their 23rd edition, published on Sep 15, 2001. I had a chance to purchase one of these series a year ago. Within a year I looked for others and purchased the next two books when they were available.

"Picture tells all" describes this book. You can enjoy this book without knowing the language. It shows the details in the pictures. This edition shows...

Included in this Japanese kanzashi set are jade kanzashi, jade and red kougai and genuine black lacquer kanzashi with jade at the ends. One of the jade has scratches as shown.

This type of fan is used for traditional Japanese dancing. Great home decor item combined with the other Japanese items. It is made out of black lacquer wooden sticks and a thick paper with designs on both side. Handpainted and new. The measurements are 20" across and 11 1/2" high. Black plastic wall hanger included.

These are worn with kimono and obi under Uchikake gown for the traditional Japanese wedding ceremony. There is a small area on the tissue holder and tanto bag with some power like stains. It is in new condition other than that. Great accent pieces for your home; two obi-jime (fat strings) can be used to tie the curtains, or use them with obis to create a wall décor. Be creative and have fun!

Beautiful screen, the quality did not show here. The measurements are 66"L x 36"H. Hand painted on silk with silk matting and framed in the black lacquered wood. Condition is excellent except in the areas shown in the pictures. One dent did break the paper but not so visible (enlargement 5), small scratches on the right side corner in the matting area (enlargement 6)is minor. The damage in the back (done by a cat) is worse than the picture (enlargement #8).