Two pieces of yogi (bedding) which are hand-sewn by a girl student at the sewing school which were established around 1880. It is called "hinagata" and generally one third of measurement of a real one. The left one is sodenashi yogi (sleeveless top cover) and the right one is yogi (top cover with sleeves). The purpose of making sewing samples is efficiency for time and material. It has been made till 1940s in the sewing school of which students are mostly girls...

Silk meisen kimono without lining. It has double ikat checker board pattern. In excellent condition. Mid century (1930s to 1940s) 128cm x 148cm

Amazing boro tabi made of hand-spun cotton with mending patches. All original condition. The first half of the 20th century. 22.5cm x 11cm (sole)

Kannon (Guanyin) the bodhisattva of compassion, is depicted by two of the most famous painters of the early Showa period on this pair of presentation cloths by Hashimoto Kansetsu and Tomita Keisen. Keisen’s loosely brushed image of a cherubic Kannon sits in the center of an Enso Zen circle...

Noragi (work wear) made of asa (hemp) whose both wets and warps are hand-plied. The sleeves are vegetable indigo dyed cotton. A few holes with mending patches. Late 19th to mid 20th century. 109cm x 71cm

Silk meisen kimono with double kasuri block pattern. It has red cotton lining so that it was made in early Showa, 1930s. In excellent condition except for tiny moth holes in wool muslin cloth in the wrists inside. 126cm x 144cm

Shonai-obi hand-woven of wash yarn (Japanese handmade paper) for weft and cotton yarn for warp. It is produced in Shonai region in Yamagata prefecture in Tohoku district. It has beautiful tassels in both ends. The dyes are vegetable indigo and brown. In excellent condition. The first half of the 20th century. 25.5cm x 3m52cm

Sakiori sodenashi (vest) whose weft is cotton strips recycled from old indigo dye kimono. warp is asa (hemp) yarn. It has beautiful mixed vegetable indigo color. In good condition but has some wear. The first half of the 20th century. 43cm x 75cm

A piece of rug made of cotton cloth, one side is vegetable indigo dye plain and the other side is stripe. It has roughly sewn sashiko (quilting) and has four layers of cloth. In good condition but it has some stains and indigo faded parts. The first half of the 20th century. 164cm x 166cm

Pilgrim's cotton hanten (hakue) with many stamps of sacred places in Shodo-shima in Kagawa prefecture. They are called "Shodo-shima Hachiju-hachi Kasho", 88 Sacred Places in Shodo Island. It is said Kobo-Taishi (Kukai) had ascetic practice and prayer at those places, who founded Shingon Mikkyo in late 8th century. In good condition except for light stain in the upper back sleeve. The first half of the 20th century. 128cm x 93cm

Bashofu kimono made of several different pieces of bashofu with stripes. It is roughly sewn together, so it might be worn for a work wear. Both weft and warp are hand-plied. In good condition except for some stains. The first half of the 20th century. 124cm x 126cm

Cotton kimono with katazome (stencil-resist-dye) pattern butterfly crest and dancer. It is made from cloth for tenugui (towel). It has rather thick texture and in good condition except for some dirty line in the neck. The first half of the 20th century. 118cm x 131cm

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

Meisen kimono with kasuri red and black rectangular pattern. It has red red silk lining, so probably made in 1930s. In excellent condition. 124cm x 154cm

Lined woman's kimono made of high quality silk crepe with geometric pattern which is katazome (stencil-resist-dye). In good condition except for a few minor stains. 1920s or 30s. 124cm x 148cm

A fisherman's work wear hand-woven of hemp for the weft and cotton yarn for the warp. Stripes are vegetable indigo dye and also natural color cotton yarn. It is from Tsushima in Nagasaki prefecture, an island located between Korean Peninsula and north Kyushu, and the textile is called Tsushima-asa. It had been woven till 1930s, but not woven since then, so it is precious, especially in this excellent condition one...

Arai-hari meisen cloth for one kimono. Arai-hari means a kimono is unsewn, washed and dried on the board, which is a traditional way of cleaning kimono. In excellent condition except for minor spots in one part (10th image). It is strong enough so that good for remaking. Two pieces for the body part, each one has different width in the middle, shoulder part (11th image). W:35cm and 23cm x 3m24cm Two okumi (front panel) cloth. W:17.5cm x 2m16cm Two sleeve cloth, sewn in one cloth...

A large bag made of taima (hemp) which was used for cocoons. The first half of the 20th century when the Japanese silk industry was most prosperous. This bag might have been used at the silk-raising farmers. Many mending stitches and a few patches. L:109cm, W:81cm