FURICLE- for japanese kimono and yukata fan

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Kanto Maki and Kansai Maki

Even within Japan itself, how kimono are worn often differs from place to place. Giving an example with a big difference, there is this difference in wrapping obi from right to left and from left to right. When obi is wrapped from right to left in front of your body, it is called Kanto Maki. And the other way round is called Kansai Maki. As the names imply, Kanto Maki is mainly seen in the eastern Japan and Kansai Maki is mainly seen in the western Japan. Other than the case where there is a difference in tesaki (starting point)’s starting point being right or left, the complete look after wrapping the obi is the same for both methods.

However, you should be careful that different part of obi’s patterns that are on the ventral side (hara-mon) may appear depending on what method you use, Kanto Maki or Kansai Maki. You will regret if you do not select an obi with patterns that appear as you like with the easier wrapping method for you when you wrap the obi yourself. When you have someone to wrap an obi for you, make sure you check which side of the patterns is to appear and clearly tell the person of your preference. it comes in handy if you can wrap your obi in 2 methods. You can use different sides of obi with two types of hara-mon, or you can use the other side of obi when one side is stained.

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Shinafu

Shinafu” is a fabric woven with fibers come from bark of Shinanoki (Tilia japonica). Its derivation is unknown, but it is considered as one of the oldest fabric in Japan. There is actually a record indicating that this fabric was paid as tax in Heian era. Shinafu is durable and waterproof and thus, even after cotton became popular for clothing, Shinafu has been widely used for practical items such as bags to preserve grain or to strain alcohol.

In Showa Period, chemical fabric which could be produced massively was introduced, and shinafu which was difficult to make rapidly decreased, but its wild particular style has been loved and living as basis for fashion accessories such as obi, hats and bags. Once upon a time, it was woven in various places of Japan, but they keep producing it mainly in an area of Yamagata Prefecture and another of Niigata Prefecture these days, too. Shinafu in these regions is registered as a Japanese traditional manufacturing product in the name of uetsushinafu, and groups of producers of it are putting in an effort like trying to maintain techniques to make it and obtain ingredients for it.

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Shifu (Paper Fabric)
Shifu is made by weaving paper yarn just like weaving thread. When papers are used for both tate-ito and yoko-ito, it is called “Moro-Shifu”. When silk yarn is used for one of them, it is called “Kinu-Shifu”, and it is called “Men-Shifu” when cotton yarn is used for one of them. Papers are first made into thread. So you don’t feel that stiffness of papers, and it is actually light and strong. Shifu began to be produced in the Edo period. Initially, they was made using papers that were out of use.
Later, dedicated papers began to be produced while improvements were made. Shiroishi City of Miyagi Prefecture is well-known as a production area. Originally, production of Japanese papers was prosperous in this area. On the other hand, it is believed it may be because cotton and silk were valuable in there. In the Edo period, the Date domain, who was governing this area, encouraged production of shifu. And they became known as they began to be used as offerings.

Now, shifu are highly valuable as the number of producers has decreased, but they are still widely distributed as popular materials.
Though not many, they are produced as tanmono (roll of clothes). They are light and easy to fasten, so they are often used as obi fabrics.

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Gold leaf

Luxury kimono sometimes has gold ornaments. In many cases, detailed parts are painted with gold, and broad parts are covered with gold leaf. To put gold leaf on kimono is called gilding. Other than gold leaf, silver leaf and platinum leaf are used. Guilding has various techniques, whose common skill is called “surihaku”, impressing of gold foil.” It is a method to apply gold foil with some glue and dry it to remove unnecessary parts, and one of the most gorgeous finish can be expected.

Gold and silver leaf are metals, but they are so thin and glued tight so that it makes it harder to remove. However, it may be removed, and in such cases, a thin paper can be put on the gold leaf to prevent it to stick to the opposite side when the frabric is folded. In addition, slightly old kimono may have low-quality leaf and glue, so in case you purchase recycled items, it is good to check the change of color and to make sure the gold leaf is remained.

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Kariyasu-zome

Kariyasu-zome is a yellow dyed material which is colored using plants called kariyasu. It has a long history. There was a word “kariyasu-iro” in the “Shosoin Monjo” which is a part of materials from the Nara period. Also, there is a description of how to do kariyasu-zome in the material, “Engi-Shiki”, that is believed to have been made in the middle of the Heian Period. Based on these materials, we can say that kariyasu was already widely used in the dyeing agent for clothing of common people in those periods.
Kariyasu looks like susuki (Japanese pampas grass), just a little smaller than susuki. It was a plant that grew on its own all over Japan, so this isn’t considered as a specialty of a specific place. However, it is said that the plant from Shiga is particularly good in quality. Its yellow pigment is produced when kariyasu tries to protect itself from the UV light of the sun. So it is believed that beautiful yellow is produced when they use kariyasu which is mowed down at the end of August.

Kariyasu has been used to make green by layering with ai-iro. The grass which dyes Kihachijo (yellow silk fabric), a specialty of Hachijo-Jima Island, is locally called kariyasu. But this is another type of plant called Kobuna-gusa.