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. Also with extensive calligraphy and... Click for details

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. Within each garment, the fragments are typically organized in a series of columns... Click for details

Antique Japanese lady's kimono made with grey-green chirimen silk and white silk jacquard with orange and green embroidery of bamboo and plum blossoms with cranes. Details in wrapped gold thread and use of tiny shibori technique in the leaves and flowers. The front hem of the kimono is decorated with a delicate design of plum blossom in resist and white silk embroidery. The kimono interior is lined with red silk.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 60" high x 48" wide

Antique Japanese kimono, made of silk and printed with a design of shells decorated with flowers and mist. The large shells float on an intricate design of small chrysanthemums on a purple ground. Beautiful yellow tones with details in burgundy, green, white and black. Lined with white and yellow cotton with sleeves that are lined in red silk.

Taisho Period (early 20th century)

Dimensions: 58" high x 49" wide

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"

Antique Japanese cotton yogi, sleeping kimono for a woman. Thickly padded and decorated with a paste resist and red family crest. More paste resist characters on the front collar. Lined with a dark indigo-dyed cotton.

Age: early 20th century

Dimensions: 50" high x 50" wide

Japanese cotton hanten made of indigo-dyed cotton for a child. Decorated with a paste resist design of joyful, spinning pinwheel-like motifs. A large red character on the back and four more in white on the front collar.

Age: early 20th century

Dimensions: 25" high x 38" wide

Antique traditional robe of the Ainu people of northern Japan. Attush (attusi) fabric was made of the inner fibers of elm tree bark (ohyo). The bark was harvested by the men but refined and woven by the Ainu women. This robe is edged with dark indigo-dyed cotton cloth. The back of the neck of the robe is sewn with a bit of lighter blue cotton fabric with a white paste resist pattern.

Age: late 19th/early 20th century

Dimensions: 54" high x 58" wide

Antique Japanese hikeshi banten, fireman's coat. Made of cotton and stitched over every inch using a sashiko quilting technique. Fires were common in Japanese urban areas due to the dense population as well as construction material (primarily wood and paper). Fire brigades were made up of samurai class (buke hikeshi) as well as common class (machi hikeshi) and their primary goal in containing a fire was to knock out the surrounding buildings so the fire had no more fuel. These special coats... Click for details

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. The back... Click for details