2005 Spring - Intro - Inden - Yukata - Kioi Art Gallery
Edo yukata created from 30,000 katagami patterns
photography by Hiroaki Ishii / text by Machico Yorozu
Tsunebei Takahashi, the founder of the dyeing shop Takatsune, has been captivated by the charm of katagami patterns since he was in his teens. Now 87 years old, the proprietor is still at work dyeing yukata (the single-layer cotton kimono that became popular in the Edo period). Though he lost many of his katagami stencils in wartime, he resumed collecting them after the war and now possesses 30,000 patterns, all categorized and archived between plywood in his storehouse. He reproduced the patterns in silk screens and created rolls of sample cloth for custom-made yukata. Customers can choose their favorites from among 200 kimono patterns.
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One hundred different carp designs appear on Edo yukata Swimming in blues: Referred to as the king of freshwater fish, the carp has long been praised as an auspicious creature, often appearing in old axioms such as "a carp climbing up the waterfall to become a dragon," which signifies success or promotion in Japan. Naturally, the fish has often become a motif for paintings and ornaments as well as designs for katagami patterns. |
Articles from the 2005 SPRING issue:
Kateigaho International Edition Issues:
2005 SUMMER - 2005 SPRING - 2005 WINTER
2004 AUTUMN - 2004 SUMMER - 2004 SPRING - 2004 WINTER
2003 AUTUMN - INAUGURAL ISSUE
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