No111


Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.11.It is still hot here in Osaka, and only in the very early morning I notice the coolness of wind, and feel the autumn is at the corner.Today we have a general election. Yuka and I went to the neghbor school and voted. Soon TV will begin to have a live about the result of election, and when we will send this mail, general trend will become apparent.We hope our next government dare do what they must to do, before we may close our descendant's future. I am always very nervous that popularism always win over the hard recognition of current situation.
Yesterday evening our family went to Arima Onsen ( Arima hot spring ) with my (Ichiro's) parents, my younger sister and her family. Several month ago I asked my mother what she wanted most, and she wanted a family party with her children and grandchildren. We 10 members stayed at a public onsen hotel, and enjoyed Japanese cooking and sang at karaoke box. Each three generatoions sang their favorite songs one after another, and mine was BEST!Several months ago she worried about her legs might be weakened rapidly, but her legs are not so bad now. So the Wada Family's party was fun and we were very happy.
On every season I buy some Paul Smith's wears. He is one of the most popular designer of men's fashion in Japan.http://www.paulsmith.co.uk/He seems to have great interest in Japanese old fabrics, and I often find some influence in this works. At spring I bought a shirt, which had embroidery and dyed pattern like houmongi. Another shirt I bought had fine stitches on all over it, which looks like sashiko.And this time I find and bought two unique shirts. One has elegant flower design, which has exotic atmosphere, and like houmongi composition. Another one astonished me. Textile looks as if Kurume Gasuri, which has bold dot pattern like 'Yukinko Kasuri'. And several parts are repaired with other check pattern cotton, whose design we often see in old futon and other fabrics. It looks as if Japanese designer made it with kimono fabrics. I looked the kasuri fabric carefully, and I noticed that its pattern is dyed. It is well made, inside also has pattern, and which is also dyed. Paul Smith must be interested in Kurume Kasuri and old Japanese textiles, and want to use similar ones. But if he used genuine Kurume Kasuri, the price would be more than triple, and he had to decide to make 'kasuri imitation fabric' and used it. Kasuri imitation fabrics were also made in Japan in early Showa period, so he might know also about it. I am look forward to wear it and attend kimono auctions. Kimono dealers must think I am wearing a shirt made of vintage Kurume Kasuri, and they must be astonished if I say who desgned this shirt.
I bought them at a department store, and I also dropped in Japanese table ware section. I looked some urushi items and their prices. Department store is Kobe Daimaru, and one of the most famous department store in Japan, but urushi items were not displayed much. I felt urushi items were becoming less and less. Bowls are priced mainly $18 - $20 ( per one bowl), which are made of 'mokkan'( wood powder resin) - not made of real wood. Wood one coated with genuine urushi are prices approx $100-$300 for one bowl. I re-realized how valuable antique urushi items are. I spoke a little with a sales person about urushi items. When I said that it was difficult to make better urushi items compared to antique one ( with equal or less expensive prices), she said urushi liquid was all made in Japan before pre WWII, and their quaily was very high compared to modern urushi, which are almost all imported from China.But I also find some very interesting design ones, which is designed for modern Japanese life. We wish modern urushi maker will find larger market in moder life.
Today we listed some men's kimono, men's haori set( Big Discount!) and some antique items. We wish you could check them.I must return to TV for watching the result of election! Have a nice day!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