Via Kleidersachen

Furoshiki - Japanese Wrapping Cloths

At the flea markets the traders arrive with piles of kimono and fabrics folded inside lovely wrapping cloths called Furoshiki. Far more environmentally responsible and frankly much nicer than a checkie or plastic bag, they also double up as a useful mat on which to display the wares. I managed to convince a couple of friendly stallholders that we needed the cloths to transport our purchases back to the car rather than take more plastic nonesense, it felt like treasure.

The antique fabric dealers have some fantastic examples of indigo wrapping cloths, I bought one and will photograph it for blogging purposes at some stage soon.

Kyoto. Kimono Silk Printers

Kyoto's traditional textile printers. 

The table in the second photograph is the length of a Tan or rather a Kimono's worth of fabric - Kimono are made from a single bolt of silk, lengths are all roughly 14 inches wide by 12.5 yards long and all traditional Japanese trouser and kimono patterns come from variations on cuts out of this single piece. The patterns remind me of  Max Tilke's research on folk costumes; designs deriving from fabric widths compatible with a home loom. 

The purchasing of textiles in given lengths is a similar experience to buying African or Indian textiles: no swatching. You need confidence in your buying decisions.

Uchikaki

This is the incredible silhouette created by the Uchikake.

The turtle-like shape at the back is created by the obi underneath, surprisingly there is no change in the pattern itself which is the same across the back as a kimono, except that the front is straight, not cut to wrap around the body, and the extra length is kept in place by the heavily padded hem rather than pulled up under the obi in a kind of fitting whilst dressing.
The exaggerated shape of the back seems to accentuate the area of skin at the nape of the neck where this traditionally erotic area is exposed by the low line of the collars.

Ojiya Chijimi, Snow Bleaching.

Ojiya Chijimi - we didn't visit this region but I wish we had.

Second Hand Kimono Dealer. Tokyo