Two pieces of urumi-zome cloth which are made of hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. Urumi-zome is katazome (stencil-resist-dye) imitating shibori-zome (tie-dye) and it requires more process than common katazome to make blurring like shibori. Both have rips but other part of the cloth is not weak. The right one has a patch in the back. The second half of the 19th century. Right one:75cm x 126cm, Left one:65cm x 126cm

Kimono, called "suzukake" worn by a Shugen-sha or Yamabushi who practiced Shugendo. "Suzu" means bamboo grass. Shugendo is the Japanese unique religion combining Buddhism, Shintoism, and worship of nature (mountains). A practitioner (shugen-sha) trained himself in the holy mountains that is ascetic and very painstaking. It is made of thick cotton and dyed with sumi (ink)...

Rare item. Two fragments which are thick silk crepe (oni-chirimen) with katazome Ainu design. It might be haori (jacket) or kimono. In good condition but has some light stains and a hole (1cm x 0.5cm) The first half of the 20th century. Left one: 39cm x 96cm, Right one: 39cm x 116cm

The size of Wooden Box : 7" Long x 5" Wide x 1 3/4" High. The size of indentation area size is 3 1/2" x 4" x 1/16" depth. This is custom made box for the exhibition of Shinya Okamoto on his one man show. It is made in 1989. The top of box has indentation area for Shippo work. It came with original carton. You can use for your own creative purpose or just use as Jewel box. The material of wood is Cedar with brown tone finish with clear lacquer. It has metal hinges...

A baby carrier belt made of indigo dye cotton for warp and washi (Japanese handmade paper) yarn for weft. It is made in Shonai region in Yamagata district in Tohoku. In good condition with beautiful tassels but the seam loose part in one selvedge (30cm). The first half of the 20th century. 13.5cm x 3m60cm

Biho Takahashi (Yoshikuni) (1873-)
Bee and Pink Hollyhock
Date: 1900-1910.
Size: Shikishiban. Approximately 9.75 x 9.5 inches.
Signed and sealed by the artist.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Chipped corner and light creasing.

Shima-cho, a sample book of cotton stripes with 182 fragments which are mostly hand-spun and vegetable dye. The book is "daifuku-cho", a record book of a merchant. It has the age Keio 2nd, 1866. 11 pages with fragments. The second half of the 19th century. 16cm x 22cm

MAN AND HORSE

Scarce vintage tiny antimony ornament of a pack-horse man decorating (or assisting) the landscape of Bonsai, called ‘Tenpai’, Showa period, 20th century, Japan...

MAP OF RIVER

Edo period's hand drawing map capturing the certain area of Kitakami river in Iwate, Japan, approx. 42 x 31.5cm (16.53 x 12.40in). Washi Japanese paper, in creased and stained condition as is. The last two photos were shotten up through the natural light...

Almost square fukusa or ceremonial cloth or cover. Two hand-embroidered diamond shaped white silk emblems of a pair of cranes, enhanced by gold-thread outlines, on a kikko hanabishi background in multicolor yuzen dye technique between two bands of bright orange-red. Some of the flowers in the kikko hanabishi ground are hand-embroidered...

The size of Plate: 5 5/8" Dia x 1 1/16" High.
This is beautiful Japanese Ko Imari Porcelain plate with Dragon and Ho-O bird design intricately painted in deep cobalt blue. There is also the clouds and Ho-ju design. There is marking on the back of plate. The condition of plate excellent, no chip, no crack and no hairline. One little spot on the rim has thin blue paint as showing on the photo. The surface of blue and white glazing area painting has little raised finish. Dating from 1800-1830's...

A Japanese Arita porcelain plate or dish of circular form raised on a low foot. Decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with a Kingfisher perched amid grasses and lotus fronds, the base has a running Fuku mark. In excellent condition, it measures 6 inches diameter and 1" high.

A pair of fireman's globes made of indigo dye cotton with sashiko (quilting) with cotton yarn. Used but in good condition. 19th to early 20th century. W:16cm, L:43cm

An unusual dish of mokkogata “melon” form decorated with a central motif of Tojin, Chinese or possibly Korean or Manchu figures in a Temple landscape with Hexagonal panels depicting Chinese boys playing, “karako kigi-zu” set against a ground of tama, pearls, and fronds. The boys are equipped with various items including fans and drumsticks to beat the partially obscured drum or gong...

Han-juban, short under kimono, made of hand-spun cotton and dyed with benibana (safflower). The dye technique is Beni-itajime which is board-clamp dye. The cloth is folded in some layers between two boards which are pattern carved and generally about 12 boards are used to dye about 22m length of cloth. Beni-itajime was mostly dyed in Kyoto until the end of Edo period but it was practiced in other places later. The lining is also hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. In excellent condition...

Ohara Koson (?)
Three Birds (Gallinules) (Matsumoto catalog name)
Size: Approximately 14.4 x 9.0 cm. 5.75 x 3.625 inches.
Date: ca. 1910.
Sealed "Yamagishi," which may be the carver Kazue Yamagishi (1891-1984).
Publisher: Matsumoto (no. 420)
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.
An early and rarely seen design...

Cotton kimono called "yukata" with bold polka dot pattern. The dye technique is called "chusen" which is one kind of stenciled paste-resist-dye. Several 10s of layers of cotton fabric can be dyed by pouring the dye liquid. All hand-sewn and in good condition except for a very faint stain in the white cloth inside the back. 20th century. 126cm x 150cm

Hanten work wear (noragi( made of hemp, both warps and wefts are hand-plied. Sleeves are tsutsusode (tubular shape). In excellent condition except for a mending (5mm) The first half of the 20th century. 120cm x 61cm