No82

Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan. This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No82It is becoming less cool these days. I don't see ume blossom this year yet, but flowering front of ume blossom is coming up from south district. Japan is a long island vertically, so it always takes three months that the front travels up through Japan. Here in Osaka, wearing ume blossom motif kimono must be most fashionable. We are longing the coming of spring, and ume blossom is the forerunner of spring. So if we come across the full bloom of ume blossom in kimono, it will inspires our anticipation. ( But how beautiful the ume blossom in kimono is, it never won against real bloom of ume. It is said that in the full bloom of seasonal flowers, those flowers motifs shouldn't be used for kimono.)
As I wrote in previous mails, our elder daughter is having entrance exams of university in these days. She is still thinking about her career options. Her father also couldn't make up his mind at the same age, and it was far later 45 years old when he found his own way. Considering the genetic quality, it will be no wonder. From 19 years experience as a employee, I advice to my daughters that they should learn some abilities, which will make them possible to be independent person. For example, if people can use two foreign languages besides Japanese, they must be able to earn by themselves. And if they want to be more than translators or teachers, they will be able to do according to their efforts and abilities. But daughters don't feel the unglamorous efforts to learn foreign language interesting. I know I was a hopeless idiot when I was 20's, so I know it is difficult to let them learn what I know.
Some customers may wonder how old kimonos are collected to our market. We mostly buy our kimono through kimono auctions for dealers, and sometimes we buy directly from ordinary people or bridal costumes rental companies, and sometimes buy from 'ubudashi-ya'. 'Ubu' means 'first', and 'dashi' means 'get', so the whole meaning is 'seller who get kimono from ordinary people(not from kimono dealer)'. Only a few years ago, most ubudashi-ya sold their kimono at temple market. So we used to wait in front of their shops very early in the morning to find bonanza. Ubudashi-ya san didn't know well about the market prices, so we could find many items which marked lower prices compared to market prices. But recently most of them sell their items at kimono auctions, because at auctions they don't need to wonder about their pricing. Dealers evaluate Ubudashi-ya san's kimono better than other kimono dealers's ones. Because most of other sellers kimono(which are offered at dealer's auction) !must have been displayed to customers, and did not sold. I have several friends of some ubudashi-ya san. One friend get kimono like this way. He is a tall gentleman in his 40's, with very gentle smile. He is selling used and very cheap western clothes for old ladies at supermarkets of rural district. He sells them at very low prices, and becomes friends with old ladies. And he asks them to give or sell their already-not-worn kimono. His way is very sophisticated. There are many ubudashi-ya san, who advertise with medias say' We buy your kimono at high prices'. But most people who respond such messages demand very too high prices for their kimono. His way is completely different. He collects kimono with giving benefits and joys to old ladies.Very near our office we have one more friend who gets kimono from ordinary persons. He owns a recycling company, and mostly works for local government. For examples recycling of plastics and so on. He takes all disused article, and sometimes he is asked to take everything of an old house. He carries out all items from tansu(drawer), dolls, electronic products and others. He sometimes pay some money for them, but sometimes he demands money for recycling.And once a month he holds a junk market at his warehouse. He sells everything he got through his ordinarily works. It is always very crowded, and in these days he must hire five private security guards for car guidance. Most of his kimono are junk, but sometimes they include very valuable kimono like chirimen. Before he came to know me, he sold every kimono only at 200yen ( 2 USD )! Many customers used to come from very far to get such bonanza. But now I advice him the market prices, and I select valuable ones and sell them at auctions. He is in his 50', and has topknot in his head, and looks a character. Different from his appearance I came to know he was a way adventurer. He makes a trade sign of himself(like a manga character) for advertising, and recently he made a sign of his full size body! Secretly he adds some items to his market from antique goods dealers, to raise the sales volume. Last year he held a large party at a first class hotel in Osaka city, to serve his !customers. He invited many his customers for free.There are many interesting stories about ubudashi. We will write more in future.
Today we have listed unique pattern kasuri, objime obiage set, haori and many bolts. We are very happy if you could check them. http://www.ichiroya.com/item/search.php?md=0214
Have a nice winter Sunday! Spring is right around the corner!
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