Antique Nobori Japanese Banner Hand Dyed Samurai

When Ieyasu (Tokugawa) took a control and united Japan in the beginning of the Edo period (1603-1868), it was the end of major battles. The nobori banners became more ornamental rather than the tools in the battles. The families of samurai and aristocrats started to display nobori along with their armors to celebrate the birth of the boys. When this custom spread to the general population later in Edo period, carps and the different banners were created for business and wealthy merchants. We can see some fine art work on nobori from this period (late Edo to early 1900).

The background color has changed to tan color (more than shown in photos) with minor stains in the design area (197" long up to the tip of pines) but more visible stains and color loss in the white family crest area. The cotton is still strong and the colors are particularly nice on this nobori. I should mention here through it may not be as bright (strong) as it looks in some of photos. Please contact us before your purchase so we can check it again. We decided to keep this piece as it was though it was a little dusty and soild. Some photos were taken from the backside. Dimensions: 29" wide x 306" long Circa, early 1900.