Antique Japanese Buddhist temple banner made of silk and woven with gold gilt paper weft (ginran or kinren) in a dynamic design of a pair of water dragons each facing the center where a burning pearl (woven with silver leaf) floats on a golden cloud. Dragons and pearls together in Buddhist art symbolize the endless cycle of transformation. The flaming pearl is one of the Eight Treasures and represents pure intentions as well as the sacred wish-granting pearl of the Buddhist faith...

Antique Japanese Buddhist Pilgrim's coat. Buddhist monks associated with the teachings of Kukai (or Kobo Daishi) would embark on a pilgrimage to visit the 88 temples on the island of Shikoku. Upon arriving to each temple, the monk would bathe before giving offerings and reciting prayers as well as receive a stamp distinctive to each temple. Normally a monk would carry around a special stamp book however it is not unusual to stamp the monk's coat as seen here...

Antique Japanese Buddhist Pilgrim's coat. Buddhist monks associated with the teachings of Kukai (or Kobo Daishi) would embark on a pilgrimage to visit the 88 temples on the island of Shikoku. Upon arriving to each temple, the monk would bathe before giving offerings and reciting prayers as well as receive a stamp distinctive to each temple. Normally a monk would carry around a special stamp book however it is not unusual to stamp the monk's coat as seen here...

Antique Japanese long silk altar cloth embroidered with three phoenix birds, also called Hou-ou birds. The mythical birds represents fire, sun, justice, obedience, fidelity, and the southern constellations. The phoenix also symbolizes the imperial household, specifically the empress. The embroiderer expresses flowing movement in in the wings and feathers of the great birds.

Age: Edo Period (early 1800's)

Dimensions: 23 1/2" high x 145" long

Antique Japanese light summer kesa (Buddhist Priest's vestment). Made with a sheer layer of black silk embroidered with silver crayfish medallions and lined with white silk.

Often described as a mantel or robe, the kesa is worn draped diagonally over the left shoulder and under the right armpit. Meant as a reminder of the Buddha's own simple patched garment, kesa are formed from many fragments of cloth...

Japanese small kesa, Buddhist priest's vestment cloth to be worn over robes. Often described as a mantel or robe, the kesa is worn draped diagonally over the left shoulder and under the right armpit. Meant as a reminder of the Buddha's own simple patched garment, kesa are formed from fragments of cloth donated to the temple by wealthy devotees. Within each garment, the fragments are typically organized in a series of columns framed by a border with angled corners...

Large antique Japanese Buddhist temple textile made of green silk and woven with gold gilt-paper weft (ginran or kinren) in a design of dragon medallions floating amongst billowing clouds. Dragons have long been used in Buddhist art symbolizing the endless cycle of transformation. This textile piece consists of two long woven panels sewn together and backed with white cotton fabric. Has inscription on back.

Age: Edo Period dated 1836

Dimensions: 59" x 91"

Hanten, called "suzukake" worn by a Shugen-sha or Yamabushi who practiced Shugendo. 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. This one is made of asa (hemp) and both warp and weft are hand-plied...

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

Fireman's hat with hand-stitched sashiko (quilting). The outside cloth is dyed with vegetable indigo and the lining is dyed with natural brown. Two belts are recycled from old cotton cloth with katazome. In good condition. Meiji period (1868～1912). W:33cm, L:55cm

Girl's hanten worn at the festival or ceremony with the girl's name "Kimiko" in front. Itis made of hand-spun cotton and cotton lining with katazome (stencil-resist-dye) crane motif. In excellent condition except for two tiny holes in front. Late 19th to early 20th century. W:73cm, L:53cm

Maiwai is a kimono having been given to fishermen from a fish boat owner on the occasion of the large catch. It is seen along the Pacific Ocean, from Aomori to Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka prefecture. The motifs of the picture are auspicious ones such as crane, turtle, large sake cup and sea birds, and also the name of boat in the banner with katazome (stencil-resist-dye). It is vegetable indigo dye and colored with pigments...

Maiwai is a kimono having been given to fishermen from a fish boat owner on the occasion of the large catch. It is seen along the Pacific Ocean, from Aomori to Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka prefecture. The motif of the picture in the lower part is “Gonin-dachi Kashima Odori”, five people performing Kashima dance which is the group folk dancing originated from Kashima-jingu Shrine in Ibaraki Pref. The design is katazome (stencil-resist-dye) and vegetable indigo dyed and pigments...

Huge cotton cloth with dynamic and vivid Shishi (lion), peonies, waves and tachibana (citrus) with tsutsugaki (glue resist dye). The tsutsugaki technique is excellent and lines are very smooth and powerful by a prominent craftsperson. Judging from the shape and size, it might have been used for "Shishimai" (lion dance) at the festival, held in Fukui, Toyama or Ishikawa Prefecture. In excellent condition. Meiji period (1969～1912)

Cotton cloth, called "yu-age”, which is used for a newborn baby. It is ordered by parents of a mother as a congratulatory gift. It has tsutsugaki auspicious motifs, such as a crane, a turtle, pine tree, plum blooms and bamboos. Red part in the top corner is for wiping baby's face, because red color is thought to be good for baby's eyes. It is from Izumo region in Shimane prefecture. In good condition, but the red and indigo blue are a bit faded. Meiji period (1868∼1912）65㎝ x 103cm

Samurai's kaji-haori (jacket), mune-ate (breast pad) and ate (ornament in the back waist) and all pieces have Tomoe kamon (three-way family crest). The ground fabric is not sure, looks mixture of cotton and wool and the lining is cotton European print. There were many massive fires in Edo in 17th and 18th century. Edo government organized the fire prevention system by samurai and then by civilian firefighters (hikeshi) later...

Tall Eboshi-shaped fire hood for a samurai, made of hand-spun cotton, both outside and inside, and dyed with vegetable indigo. In Edo period, the town of Edo often suffered from massive fires, so that "machi hikeshi" by town people as well as "samurai hikeshi" were organized. This hood was worn by a samurai together with samurai fire costume when the fire broke out. In good condition except for slight dirt in the top part. The piping is silk. 19th century. W:53cm, L:69cm

Fireman's hanten made of thick cotton and hand-stitched sashiko (quilting). It has hand painted "Edo Machi Hikeshi" (town fireman) with "Matoi" which was hold by fireman to show his own "Kumi", brigade. It also has hand painted birds and waves design inside. 19th century. In good condition. W:118cm, L:91cm