This listing is for a vintage Japanese haori (kimono jacket).

The pattern on this haori features an abstracted element we can't quite figure out, but we'd like to think those round red circles are mochi dango - rice balls grilled on a stick and dipped in a rich brown sauce - sold at festivals and sweet shops. It's a longshot, and we're happy to hear from you if you recognized the imagery.

The fabric is a heavy silk, and with the snowflakes on the lining, we assume it is meant for cooler weather. Bright red and yellow provide a delightful contrast to the gray-brown background. Also notice the overlapping curved elements that seem to create a floral blossom. Abstrat and artsy!

There are two small areas - one on each shoulder - that seem to be a light dye bleed. Perhaps it was raining when the original owner wore this? They are not easily noticeable - see last photo.

If you're going to wear this haori and want to accessorize it with a pair of haori himo, click the option for that above.

If you're going to display this haori and need a sturdy but simple hanging rod, click that option above. (The rod must be shipped separately.)

The traditional dyeing and weaving technique used to create this patterning is called meisen or ikat, and it involves dyeing the threads in a pattern before they are woven so that the images emerge on the loom. It's a fascinating and time-consuming process that takes great skill from many artisans. Watch the video below to be amazed.

Meisen kimono became popular in Japan in the Taisho Period of the early 1900s, after the sumptuary laws of the feudal period ended and "common folk" were once again able to wear colorful clothing. Even though the ikat process is time consuming and requires many steps and skill, meisen kimono were an affordable option for Japanese women who were looking to be fashionable. Art nouveau and art deco designs were popular, along with more traditional florals and geometrics that became exaggerated or expanded.

Here's a link to the Friis Collection website, which offers more detail about how meisen became popular in Japan as well as a gallery of her stunning meisen collection. And here's a link to the Chichibu Meisen Museum outside of Tokyo, where the process and the garments are celebrated.
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