No 139

Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.139.Cherry blossom is now in full bloom. Also today I came to our office seeing lots of cherry blossoms.Petals scurried, and roads are scattered with petals.Writing about cherry blossom must be third times, but every this season I couldn't resist not towrite about cherry blossom.Recently I heard an interesting story from a senior kimono dealer. She said cherry blossoms in the kimono from Edo period were 'yamazakura'. 'Yamazakura' is one kind of the cherry blossom, and beforethe Meiji period(1868-1912) yamazakura was the most usual cherry blossom in Japan. After Meiji period,'someiyoshino' became popular, and recently most cherry blossom we see in town are 'someiyoshino'.Shesays yamazakura has also leaves when it is in full bloom. So the pictures of yamazakura also has greenaccent,which makes kimono more beautiful and colorful. Someiyoshino has no leaves- at her best, andonly pink flowers decorate tree. Of course it is also very beautiful, but in the eyes of art motif,yamazakura may be able to more beautiful motifs. I nodded her idea, because Irecaled some impressive cherry blossom motif kimonos, and all their impressions are colorful with leaves's green, trunk'sbrown and pink of flowers.
Cherry blossom blooms at a time, and fills towns, street and mountains all over Japan, and is dispersed in a moment. During the war time, cherry blossom's beauty was always used to urge peopledie. Samurai and soldiers had to die beautifully for their prides and loved ones just like cherryblossoms. We know this history well, but cherry blossom is still something special for our Japanese. Cherry blossom bloom ends so shortly - everything come and go, nothing is immortal, and beauty is morevaluable because we know it must lost near future. Cherry blossom remind us that we are all mortal- in this season we often say, 'How many times can I see cherry blossom till I die?'
http://www.e087.com/flash/yozakura2.htm
Tomorrow I will visit an artisan who makes 'nigiri-basami', Japanese traditional small scissors for sewing. It is small and cute one, and you can use thumb and forefinger while you 'nigiru'( hold ) it.It is very useful for sewing, and from Edo Period( 1603-1867) Japanese people traditionally have beenused it. Nigiri-bashami is still made with traditional techniques in Ono city. We would like to introducehis work and items at our site 'Tour J Artisan' next week. ( We are very sorry if we can not make pagesuntil the week after next.)The day next tomorrow I will visit Ashiwa san's work shop. You may already know, grandma Ashiwa makesfantastic ai 'sakiori' fabrics. We will report her work and technique with more photos at Tour J Artisan.Both their work shops are not so far from our office ( approx 2 hours by car ). Next week I must attend also three auctions. What a busy week it is!
Today we will list haori, katazome fabric, sakiori rag, antique items and so on. We are very happy if you could find your favorite ones in them. **We are sending Ichiroya News Letter - the information of new arrivals and bargains. If you would like to join our mailing list, please visit here:http://www.ichiroya.com/~webichiroya/mail/join.htm
Ichiro & Yuka WadaKimono Flea Market "ICHIROYA"http://www.ichiroya.com
e-mail: info@ichiroya.comaddress: Asia-shoji Bldg.301 1841-1 Nishi 1 chome Wakamatsu cho Tondabayashi city Osaka 584-0025 JAPANTEL&FAX ****( international number ) - 81-721-23-5446