If you have only 2 humble Tsumugi Kimonos as your hand and need to wear either one of them at New Year Party, which do you prefer ?
The entire image of Kimono changes depending on the coordination with Obi.
In addition, accessories for Kimono, such as “Obijime” and “Obiage”, as well as “Haneri” play roles of “spice” that pluses a nuance.
“Obijime” is the strap that holds Obi.
“Obiage” is the scarf-like fabric that covers inner strings and decorates the edge of Obi in front.
“Haneri”, that is not shown in the pictures this time, though, is the fabric that covers and decorates the collar of “Juban”, Kimono underwear.
Now, there are 3 patterns of coordination for each !
A. This kimono fabric is called “Some-Oshima” (染め大島), a kind of “Oshima-Tsumugi” (大島紬) that is very famous fabric produced in Kagoshima prefecture.
Usually, the pattern of “Oshima-Tsumugi” is inwoven, however, the pattern of “Some-Oshima” is dyed after the fabric is woven.
A-1 Oshima with Tsumugi Obi
A-1
A-1 is coordination with “Tsumugi” “Nagoya-Obi”, “Tsumugi” “Obijime”, and yellow “Shibori” “Obiage”.
A-2 Oshima with Maple Obi
A-2
A-2 is coordination with Maple motif “Nagoya-Obi”, thin & round “Obijime” with color ball charm, and light-green “Chirimen” “Obiage”.
A-3 Oshima with Chrysanthemum Obi
A-3
A-3 coordination is with Chrysanthemum motif “Nagoya-Obi”, thin & round triple color “Obijime”, and yellow “Rinzu” “Obijime”.
B. This Kimono fabric is called “Yuki-Tsumugi” (結城紬), that is very famous “Tsumugi” produced in Ibaraki prefecture. Its inwoven pattern is “Sakura” petals.
B-1 Yuki Tsumugi with Fukuro Obi
B-1
B-1 coordination is with “Fukuro-Obi” of openwork, green flat “Obijime”, and light-green “Chirimen” “Obiage” (same one in A-2). ”Sakura” motif “Obidome”, a brooch like accessary for “Obijime”, is put as an additional accent.
“Fukuro-Obi” is usually for formal or semi formal Kimono, however this is called “Share-Bukuro” (洒落袋) that is for Komon Kimono.
B-2 Yuki Tsumugi with Hitta Nagoya Obi
B-2
B-2 coordination is with “Chirimen” “Nagoya-Obi” with dotted pattern called “Hitta” (疋田), thick & round “Obijime”, and “Obiage” with same fabric as “Obijime”
B-3 Yuki Tsumugi with Stripe Nagoya Obi
B-3
Finally, B-3 coordination is with “Nagoya-Obi” with Stripe “Tsumugi” fabric, black flat “Obijime with “Obidome” (same one as in B-1), and red “Shibori” “Obijime”. This “Nagoya-Obi” was remade from the fabric that was originally Kimono.
There are a lot of historical traditional crafts all over Japan, including clothing, food, interior, stationary, and so on.
If you would like to see and learn about them, why don’t you visit “Japan Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square” ?
It has database of detail information about the crafts in each area.
When you look at the category about woven fabric, there are 34 kinds of fabric in 17 prefectures, and for dyed fabrics, there are 11 kinds of fabric in 7 prefectures.
Of woven fabric kinds, most famous among Japanese people are, Yuki-Tsumugi, Kihachijo, Oshima-Tsumugi, and Kurume-Gasuri for Kimono, and, Nishijin-Ori and Hakata-Ori for Obi fabric.
Tsumugi weaving is not gorgeous, but has humble beauty of the texture that represents typical Japanese wording “Wabi Sabi”.
Tsumugi was loved mostly by ordinary people, and has been worn on casual occasions in these days.
Oshima Tsumugi
Kurume-Gasuri
Nishijin-Ori is, on the other hand, is characteristic of its luxuriousness weaving with gold and silver strings, that used to be worn mostly by noble people in days of old, and has been utilized in formal situation these days.
NIshijin-Ori
Of dyed fabrics, Kyo-Yuzen, Kaga-Yuzen, and Bingata is vary famous among many Japanese people, even those who are not interested in Kimono.
Kyo-Yuzen is provably typical Kimono fabric that most of foreigners will imagine.
Kaga-Yuzen is dyed by the almost same way as Kyo-Yuzen, however, its is less gorgeous and characteristic of its vermiculate leaves in the pictured pattern.
Kaga-Yuzen (vermiculate leaves)
Japan Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square also has a showroom in Aoyama, Tokyo, where, hundreds of hi-quality folk crafts all over Japan are regularly shown and you can actually buy them.
They also provides biweekly exhibitions and most recent planned exhibition in the Square is about the crafts in Fukui prefecture (from 8/31 to 9/11). It seems to include ceramics, lacquer crafts, edged tools, and paper crafts.
Traditional Craft Square_1
Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square 2
Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square 3
If you plan to have a trip to Japan and would like to find something Japanese traditional, why don’ t you check the site before you fly ?
You may be able to find the aspects of Japanese tradition that you do not know yet !
And,,, we finally had a chance to participate in “O-Hanami” on April 5th at Canal Cafe that had beautiful scenery of rows of cherry trees along the canal in Iidabashi, Tokyo.
We enjoyed Italian food with wine and beer, watching beautiful cherry blossoms at night.
We call cherry blossoms in night viewing ”Yozakura”(夜桜), a special name for “Sakura” that shows different aspect of beauty at night.
Unfortunately, there was no chance to wear “Sakura” “Tsumugi” Kimono that was introduced in the previous blog……
Meanwhile, when the center of the blossoms turns to be deeper pink, their petals begin to fall as if it were snowing….that is another beauty of “Sakura”.
Coming to think about it,,, our “Shisho”(師匠), Meister in 70 years old, who teaches Kimono sewing, explained before about how people used to regard “Sakura” motif on Kimono when she was young.
That is, wearing Kimono with “Sakura” was ill-loved for ordinary unmarried young women because the society at that time did not allow them to be “Colored”= become attractive, or sexy, like the way cherry blossoms change its petals.
On the other hand, when it was war time, dying “with good grace” as if cherry blossoms falls in a short period was regarded aesthetic for men.
Interesting, isn’t it ?
None of above ways of thinking seems to be supported by many people these days, though…
As a matter of fact, “Sakura” motif Kimono and Obi is very popular among young women now !
Anyway, you know how deep cherry blossoms have impacted on the lives of Japanese people..
Season of enjoying cherry blossoms, “Sakura” in Japanese, is coming !
Sakura usually blooms in late March and becomes in full early April, but it is delaying this year because of the long lasting colder winter.
During Sakura season, we, Japanese enjoy various events that have something to do with Sakura. The most popular one is “O-Hanami” (お花見）!
O-Hanami, or Hanami as simpler, means enjoying Sakura watching with eating and drinking with friends. Japanese people love O-Hanami very much. Well,,, the purpose of some people may be to loon with delicious foods and drinks but not actually watching Sakura, though,,, it has been gracious Japanese spring seasonal tradition.
Today, I found a cherry tree in my neighborhood had its blossoms start opening.
This reminded me that I had a nice Tsumugi Kimono with Sakura pattern !
The blossoms are depicted by weaving.
Imagine, how nice to go to O-Hanami in Sakura pattern Kimono !
