No 153


Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.153.These days, it has been very hot as usual. Yesterday I went Iga toattend a kimono auction. Auction house is a shanty, room air temperaturehad to be hotter than outdoor air temperature. Of course there is notair conditioner, only several fans stirred the hot air. We had to havetowel to wipe our sweat. All auction staff sweated, and they had to becareful not to drop their sweat on kimonos. Items were less than usual,and also the bidders were less. Japan's summer is very hot, and usuallykimono stores never be able to have good sales at mid summer season. Sothe auction was on low tone, and hotness made bidders depressed. We hadlunch in our cars with air conditioner turn on, and at the rest time icecandies were handed out. I got two, and ate one and put another in mytowel. I put the towel (with ice candy) around my neck - cool ice feelmade me little bit easy to bear the hotness. However, we got some rare and valuable items in such touch condition.One is Yumigahana kasuri yogi - tortoise and anchor were hand woven byweft ikat, and its pattern is very fine and artistic. It must be one ofour best kasuri yogi we have ever had.Another valuable item is vintage black furisode. Other bidders did notseem to be concentrated because of hotness. Its design is not sounusual, but its details of yuzen work and embroidery are superb. I won,and when the furisode came to my hand, I was surprised with its fineworks. If it was offered at large auction in Kyoto or Tokyo, the winningbid had to be way expensive. We will offer these items this week. Just wait till you see them on theweb!
Soccer World Cup ended. Japan national team couldn't pass the first heat.Our national team seemed to be overestimated, and we Japanese are verydisappointed with the result. We would like to say congratulations to the customers from Italy.
Zidane's head butt was disappointed. Unbridled passion brought to an end.In my opinion, he could appeal after the match ended. Ronaldinho was also disappointing. Everyone had to want to see and enjoyhis super plays more. Although my most favorite sport is ice hockey(I was a ice hockey playerat university), World Cup reminded me the feeling of matches of icehockey. Verbal abuse, threat and bagarre were ordinary occurrence. Someplayers came near calmly and said with a menacing gesture, ' After thematch, come to the park.' Most players punch with only bare hands, butthere were a few really dangerous guys, who stamped the player's bareface with sharp edge of skate shoes. Every athletes have the highs and the lows, and I had a few games when Iwas unusual top condition as if I felt I could do anything. It was the match of the last formal league game before graduation. I wasthe left wing of the first set, and in very good condition. At thesecond period, I was hit by the opposing team's defence player. Istood up and went back to the bench. At that time I wore contact glass.After the pain gone, I noticed my vision didn't become clear. I noticedthe left eye's glass dropped and was missing. I had to go onto the icerink again, and had to continue the game with unclear vision. Everythingwas over the mist, I couldn't follow the pack. I felt I lost that gameand league with contact glass missing.At the rest time between the second and the third period, I confessed mycondition and asked the teammate to look for the contact glass on theice rink. There was no one-day contact glass those days and contactglasses were quite costly.As you know, hockey rink is huge and contact glass is verysmall and transparent. In addition, it might be broken during theplayers running. Everyone thought it had to be impossible to find out myglass, but we went out on to the rink, and started to look for it on theice at places. I went to the place where I was hit, and squatted on myknees.Miracle happened. I found the my contact glass where I squatted at first.The contact glass was on the ice, and was not broken!I put my contact glass on, clear vision came back suddenly. Andincredible top condition came at the third period. Vision and everythingbecame clear and sharp, I could see everything as if I controlled thewhole game. Miracle pass succeeded often, opposing defence player couldn'tstop my rush to the goal. As a result my team won, and I got 5 goals! It was one of may happiest days of my modest life.
Thank you for reading to the end. Today we will list some obi, karinuifabric, shiromuku, obi design sheet and cute antique items.We will be very happy if you have time to check our new arrivals!domo arigato gozaimasu
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

No 152


Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News LetterNo.152.It has been quite hot days, and 'Ochugen' season has come also this year.In Japan, people present gifts ('Ochugen') each other for thankingusual commensality. Department stores are the most popular shops forOchugen because of their status. I had worked for a department store for19 years, and we had been very busy during Ochugen season every year. At this season, not only the sales staff but also all up-front staffcome out from the office and sell 'Ochugen' gift at shop. Many customers came to Ochugen Gift center, included 'yakuza'( Japanese gangster).When they came to order, we should never made mistake. Ordinarilymanagers were called and meet them. When I was a sales promotion manager,I was often called to receive them. I had to write long address sheetfor gift sending with seeing their recipient list. Lists were written invery unreadable characters, and I could recognize some famous yakuza'sname and other famous people names in them. Some fingers on the table ofthe customer were missing ( yakuza often cut their finger for theirbosses'forgiveness ), and I asked them fearfully. In addition, calculation forgrand total was very difficult and comlocate with various kinds ofdiscount and other rules. My fingers to push an accounting machinewere almost trembling!
Ordinary people have approx 10 persons to send Ochugen gifts, and somepeople like freelance or business owners have huge Ochugen list.Presenters consider the situation of the recipient - their fondness,family makeup and others, and how many gifts they will receive. When wesend Ochugen to the powerful person, we must think his house must be full of samekind of 'Ochugen' gifts. We prefer common food gifts, because even ifrecipients receive the same items, they will not become useless.Best popular gift items are as below. The first : Beer The second : Western Confectionery The third : JuiceThe fourth : Ham and SausageThe fifth : Coffee and TeaThe sixth : NoodlesThe seventh : Japanese Confectionery The eighth : FruitThe ninth : Cooking Oil The tenth : Cleaning Material
About Ochugen gift, we must have a hang-up over to whom we should send.Especially for the salaried employee, its problem is very serious. Somepeople like me don't send 'Ochugen' to their boss, but I imagine mostsalaried employee must send 'Ochugen' to their boss, previous boss andsuperior boss(boss of the boss). I disliked such 'Ochugen Politics' atthe company and didn't send Ochugen to them, but now I feel it had to be notgood for employee. Later I heard an 'Ochugen' rule from a person, and I convinced his wayis best. He says, ' You don't need send Ochugen to many people, anddon't need send precious gifts. Three thousand yen ( approx 25USD) isenough, and approx 15 persons are enough. You have to choose therecipients carefully with focus on the person you really thank fortheir help and commensality. However, once you send 'Ochugen' to theperson, you never quit sending till he dies. Because the debt nevervanishes.'
By the way we thank you very much for participation to our 'Customers SelectionPage'. We thank you very much for wonderful and knowledgeable comments our ouritems. We determined to make new 'Customers Selection Pages' systemnear future. The pages will be more user-friendly and easily viewablewith newly built system. Selected items also can be seen at usualcategory pages, and only customers buy from the presenter's page, feewill be paid. Anyway presenter will be able to make their page easilyand automatically without Ichiro's work. New system will launch about two month later. Before the new system, wewill upload the special pages made by a customer. Pages are almostcompleted, and we will be able to show you within a few days.
Soba restaurant which I wrote in our previous mail news had opened a fewdays ago. We went the restaurant - soba is very delicious! However, theowner looks not so eager to advertise his new shop. We hope his shopwill be crowded in future!
Today we will list kimono, Obi design sheet, geta, bolt and rare woodblockprint books. We hope you could find your favorite items among them!
We wish you a genkina(cheerful) week!domo arigato gozaimashita
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

No 151


Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News LetterNo.151.Time flies. Today is already 2nd of July, half of this year had gone.Summer has come, we feel to want to eat 'unagi'(eel) to recover fromsummer weariness. Have you ever eaten 'una-jyu '( bowl of eel and rice).Here are the photos of 'una-jyu'. I must swallow my saliva! http://images.google.co.jp/images?q=%E9%B0%BB%E9%87%8D&hl=ja&lr=&sa=N&tab=wiUnagi(eel) is boiled with sauce, and put on the rice. When it is put inthe jubako, it is called 'una-jyu', and when 'donburi'(rice bowl) isused, it is called 'una-don'. Japanese pepper 'sansyo' powder isscattered on it. Unagi is soft and juicy, and very delicious, and alsogrim with good nutrition. Una-jyu is very popular menu also at our home, and there are many unagispecialized restaurants all over Japan. At the usual unagi restaurant,there are ranks of 'una-jyu'. Always the ranks are named 'shou-chiku-bai'.Our customers must know already about 'shou-chiku-bai'. It means 'pinetree - bamboo - ume blossom', and the set of auspicious items. Toindicate the ranks of unaju( or other Japanese menu), we use this words.'Shou(another pronunciation - matsu)' is the best, 'Chiku ( anotherpronunciation - take )' is the second and 'Bai(another pronunciation -ume)' is the last. Difference of the ranks of unaju is determined by the quality or volumeof unagi. Nowadays unagi is bred, and also imported from China(!! everythingare from China), but native unagi ( mainly live in rivers) is still offered. Native unagi's flesh is said to have resilience and more delicious thanbreaded/imported ones. So if unagi on the rice is Japanese native, andis very large, it must be 'Matsu(Shou)' class. ( And of course it mustbe expensive!) Yuka's father loves unagi -- sometimes he is sick but he recovers whenhe eats unagi, so Yuka says unagi works better than going to hospital.I become to want to eat matsu class unajyu right now ----
Friday of this week( 7th July) is Tanabata festival. We have written thisnews letter for 3 years, so we had to write about Tanabata before.However, folk tale of 'Tanabata' is beautiful story, so we would like tointroduce again. This story was born in China, and not only Japan but also other Asianpeople have smilar story. Story is about the Milky Way and two stars,Vega and Altair.
Once upon a time, a beauty named Orihime(Vega) lived besides Kansui inChina. She was the daughter of the Emperor. She was hardworking and verygood at weaving. Natsuhiko(Altair) was also was handworking farmer, andEmperor approved their marriage. However, after the marriage, theybecame to neglect their work. Orihime quit weaving, Natsuhiko became notto drive cattle. The Emperor got angry and pulled away with AmanokawaRiver ( Milky Way ) between them. The Emperor permitted them to cometogether only once a year on 7th July. Orihime and Hikoboshi became towork hard with looking forward this special day. And when it rained onthat day, water increased and they couldn't go across the AmanokaraRiver. At that time magpies are said to flock together and become abridge for them.
Here is the photos of these stars and Milky Way.http://www.yumis.net/tanabata/
It is interesting, another folktale `Tsuruno ongaeshi` also, the heroinewas a weaver. Japanese may love the stories of `parting`--tragic lovestories may strike the right cord of Japanese.
Thank you very much for reading to the end. Two themes above might belittle bit unsuitable. Eating and Love! Anyway we would like to offer rare and valuable items also this week.Today we will list kimono karinui fabric, men's kimono, obi designsheet, bolt and antique items. We wish you could find your favoriteamong them.
We wish you a nice new week with peace and laughter.
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

No 150


Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.150.We are still in 'tsuyu'(raniy season), and it is raining today. Howis the weather in you place!
These days, I often think about 'honesty'. In Japan, there is an oldadage, which says ' Byoubu to Shounin sugu deha tatanu'.Byoubu is the Japanese folding screen, and as you know it is stood withbending at the joints. The adage says,' Byoubu and merchant never stand with unbend.' So the adage says, merchant never attain greatness withsimple honesty.
Two weeks ago, we started 'Kimono Kaitori' with advertising with YahooJapan. 'Kaitori' means 'Purchase', so we tried to purchase used(andantique ) kimono from ordinary people. We made the web page, whichinforms our kimono-purchase-systhm, and advertised the page by YahooSearch Marketing. Here in Japan, Yohoo Japan is the most popular searchengine site. When Japanese people search the word ' kimono + kaitori',several advertised sites are displayed on the not-advertised pages, andwe tried to display our page the first. A book says if the page is advertised in the first rank of Yohoo Japan,approx a tenth of the word searchers will click(or visit) the promotionsite, and approx 1% of the visitors will buy the service on the page. Ifit is real, this will happen - All over Japan, some people want to sell their kimono.- Many of them will look for the kimono dealers who will purchase theirkimono, in the internet. - Most of them will go Yahoo Japan, and put the words 'kimono + kaitori'and click search button.- Our site is displayed the first line with other sites. - 10% of them will click the link and visit our page.- A person among 100 visitors will call us, and ask to purchase herkimono.
We wanted to pay as much as we could to the kimono. If we are honest andalways want to offer best service, we must sell our kimono at lowestprice as we can to our customers, and at a time we must pay the highestprice as we can do for these new customers(who want to sell kimono). Ofcourse, we must set the levels carefully at continuable one.
We set the fee as below -- If customers send their kimono to us, we will keep the kimonos for thetime being. - Sell at the kimonos auction, and after the sold price are fixed, wewill pay the 85% of the sales amount. 15% will leave for our profit.We thought this fee is very reasonable. Ordinarily kimono kaitoridealers offer way lower price than expected auction sales amount. It is becausethere are risks ( they may not sell at the expected prices) and also fortheir profits.- We will pay kimonos sending fee and money transfer fee. From our experiences, we thought there is not other way to pay thehighest prices.
However, the problem is the price of advertisement. You may know, the rank is determined by the bid of the advertisers. Morepopular the words become, the bid prices become higher. When we startedto bid, the bid price to get the first rank was approx 300 yen. It meansif someone clicks and visit our site, we must pay 300 Yen(approx 2.5USD)for each their one click.From the calculating formula above, to get one customers, 100 clicks areneeded, which cost 300Yen x 100 = 30000 Yen ( approx 260USD ).
We could estimate that if kimono packages from customers sells average atmore than 200,000 Yen(1700USD), we had to be able to get some profit.We thought it might be very difficult price, because the most kimonoscome from ordinary people are not so valuable. However, there are some'kaitori' dealers who is advertising in the internet, and we heard thatthey have purchased huge kimonos for these 2 years. We thought the average prices might be higher than we expected, if notso other kaitori dealers can not advertise as they do.Anyway we determined to begin to know the 'kaitori' market. It was twoweeks ago.
As a result, the book's description is right. A customers called us during 100 clicks. Five customers sent their kimono to us. Average sales amount percustomer is approx 30,000 yen(260USD). The income and expenditure of acustomer is + 4,500yen ( 15% of 30,000 yen) -30,000yen ( 100 click fee) - 3,000yen ( shipping cost we paid) - 310yen ( bank transfer fee)Grand total is -28,810 yen!
Finally we quit this 'kimono kaitori' advertisement. Customer samples maybe too little, but we can not imagine the average sales go up to 200,000yen. If we want to make profit, we have to pay the least amount as we can.If the amount of the package seems to have 35,000 yen, we had to say thekimonos are almost values and we can pay nothing. To get profitthrough this method, we must say lies everyday and make the customers sad.We come to know that 'kimono kaitori with advertising with Yahoo' is notgood system for customers ( advertising cost is too heavy) and it is notour way.
Today I checked, and found the price of 'kimono Kaitori -first rank'went up to 380 Yen. They must be able to get good profit by theseadvertisements, and compete the first rank position. As the old adageteach us, they must stand with bending somewhere. And recently a seniorantique dealers said to me that ' bad antique dealer grow more thanhonest dealer.'
However, I am never comfortable to say valueless for 300USD value items. I believe merchants can stand only their honesty and service mind. Ifnot so, we would quit our business, and go into the mountains or southernislands.
Thank you for reading to the end! Today we will list kimono, haori,antique items and bolt.We hope you enjoy checking our new arrivals. domo arigato gozaimasu.
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

No 149

Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.149.It is raining also today. Four swallow babies left the nest, and inother nest, parents seem to have the second babies of this season. Wedon't know whether the baby bird I helped left safely or not.A gentle man came to our office a few days ago, and he greeted us andsaid that he is going to open a 'soba-ya'( buckwheat-noodle restaurant )at the first floor of our building. The last unoccupied room was rentedby him, and owner of this building must be happy. However, our buildingdoesn't front main road, and I have thought that retail or restaurantmay be difficult. The gentle man seems to begin his first business. Wehopes his soba noodle is very delicious, and his store will becomepoplar restaurant. Anyway I must worry unnecessarily ( he is not a babyswallow!).Around our office, there is not so many good restaurants, so we are veryhappy that we can eat his soba noodle at lunch!
I feel I must write about kimono and antique textile more often. However,this news letter is No.149, and recently finding new theme is becomingvery difficult. Recently I got a book about kasuri published in Showa47(1973). The author 'Sadako Fukui' is the researcher of kasuri, andcollected lots of kasuri, and interviewed old women who were born inMeiji period(1868-1912) and wove kasuri in their usual daily lives. (Book Title is 'Japan Kasuri Cultural History'. The book is veryinteresting and informative. We can not introduce whole contents here,but we would like to introduce some points at random, which I thinkinteresting.
- In Japan cotton began to be produced around 1600. Before the cottonage, various natural fibers were used for fabrics, for examples,asa(hemp), 'kuzu-fu'( Fu means fabric. 'Kuzu' means kudzu. We sometimescome across vintage hakama, which is made of kuzu-fu.), 'fuji-fu'(wisteria), 'zenmai'(fiddleheads) and 'kami'(paper). We call the fabricmade of paper as 'shi-fu'. Speaking of 'shi-fu', recently I came across'shi-fu' noragi at an auction. It looks like very fine sakiori fabric,and have beautiful naturai ai color. The touch is soft and at a time itlooks strong enough, and very difficult to imagine it is made of paper.Owner took out one weft, and showed us how the paper is used as weft.Stripe of paper is twisted as a thread, and when he opened it, it wasreally a stripe of paper! It was amazing to see the material of thebeautiful noragi turned out to be paper!
- You must already know, dyeing with natural ai is very elaborate andinefficient work. To get deep and beautiful ai color, dyer must dip andsqueeze more than 20 times. It was men's work, and adult man could dyeonly 8 kasuri fabrics and 5 stripe fabrics in a day. Chemical indigo(ai)was imported in Meiji 20(1888), and there was a commentary that chemicalindigo was mixed to natural indigo from Meiji 23(1901). In Meiji 40(1907), ai field came down to 25% compared to 10 years before.
- The oldest kasuri in Japan is considered to be 'Satsuma Gasuri' inKyushu (1740). The next is 'Yamato Gasuri' in Kinki district near ouroffice(1751-1764).
- At the peak of Kurume Gasuri production ( Showa 2 (1928) ), approx 54% of the whole production was woven by prisoners. It was woven in 75 prisons,not only all over Japan but also prisons of Korea and China. What a astrange destiny a Kurume Gasuri kimono has! The Kurume Gasuri we send toyou may be born in cotton fields of the United States, imported to Japan,dyed in the Kurume, exported to the prison in Korea, woven by a prisoner,imported to Japan, worn by a Japanese student, stocked for long time intansu, came to our place and send to a customer United State! ( * Mostof Kurume Kasuri cotton material were imported from United States andIndia.)
- At the peak of Kasuri production, Bingo kasuri accounted for 66 % of whole kasuri production. As you know, Bingo kasuri is machine wovenone, and textile is comparatively thin and stiff. However, kurume makerproduced modern design kasuri, and they were very popular at that time.It is incredible, but weaver in Yumigahama and San'in district were saidthat their hand spun/hand tied/hand woven kasuri were too thick anduncool. Unbelievable!
- Kasuri weaving factory girl's life in Meiji period(1912-1925) is asbelow. 'Girls had to quit school at the third-grade of elementary schooland became a factory worker. They worked 14 hours a day, and three yearsafter, they were given weaving machine, and after five years work, theywere given 'kyodai'(dressing table). They married and had severalchildren, and wove their cloth by themselves with weaving for wages.'Their lives are also unbelievable!
- We sometime get antique futon. Usually they are very small ( 87-105cm- 34-41in long). We didn't know why, and we thought they were forchildren. But I found a comments of old man in the book. 'Smaller futonis more economy. It needs less cotton padding. And also sleeping with exposingthe feet is very healthy.' We understand why the antique futon is verysmall. It is not only because people in olden times were shorter thannow.
Thank you very much for reading to the end! Tomorrow we will list haori,karinui, yukata obi & bolts. We will list also cute Japanese antiquesselected by Hisami. Recently we got lots of uchikake(middle grade ones,more than 70 pieces ) and obi design sheets. We will list them this week.Don't miss 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

No 148

Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.148.Thank you very much for many reply to our previous mail news. We havemade some customers' recommend pages. Did you check their advices aboutour items? Each presenters' selection and advices are very informative andfun. I strongly wish if I could write descripions as they do. Somecustomers are longer time fan(of fukusa, natural ai and thers) than us!We hope you also enjoy their pages.http://www.ichiroya.com/recommendpagetop.htm
Here in Osaka, 'tsuyu'(rainy season) began a few days ago. It is veryhot and humid, and cloudy or rainy days continue. A few days ago, I wentfishing to the river in the mountain after a long interval. Rain anddrizzle never stopped, and got wet and no fish. When no fish was caught,we say `bozu`-- it means bald head!
This morning, I noticed a baby swallow lied upside down on the ground.At the ground floor near the elavator, swallows come and have babiesevery year(last year the nest was on the second floor, and also thisyear, four babies were born, this time on the first floor and we weredelighted to see them growing in the nest. They grew up very fast, andsmall nest became so full as they grew up. The baby on the ground seemedto have fallen from the nest, might be pushed out by her sisters orbrothers. I picked her up carefully, and looked closely her body. On myhand she sit up, and became better. I went to our office ( on the thirdfloor) and brought our footstool with her on my hand. At last she stoodon my finger, and looked fine. Calmly I appoached and streched my arm,and put her back to her nest. She dropped in the nest, and only her tailcould be seen from outside.I was worried whether she was fine or not. After an hour later, I found four babies's heads and chests lined in thenest's hem. She had to be fine! However, her body is the smallest among her sisters and brothers, and Iam very worried she can survive aginst tough battle for existence.We hope she will leave the nest safely, and can go back to warm placesin the autumn.
I didn't see yet, but in many places 'ajisai'(hydrangea) must be fullbloom now. Hydrangea is the most impressive flowers in this season. WhenI was a boy, more people grew hydrangea in their garden, and earlysummer expression of my boyhood are always colored by hydrangea's vividcolors.
I am very sorry that there is not special news in the letter. It must bebecause this begining of hot and humid days. Today is Sunday but Hisami went to one of the antique auction. Tomorrow we will list some kimono, furisode, hikizuri, nagoya obi,antique items and so on. We also list some interesting stage costumes.If you like interesting woodblock and stoneblock print books, pleasecheck Ichiroya antique too! There will be charming new arrivals.http://www.antiqueichiroya.com/
We hope you could check them and find your favorite!
Thank you again!

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

No 147

Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.147.Ichiro is writing this latter. After quite an absence, I am enjoying relaxing Sunday. Every last half moth, I have many auctions, and I don'thave enough time to relax or enjoy hobbies. All staff are off today, andI am writing this letter, listening to JAZZ, my favorite music.
Here in Osaka, it is getting hot as if summer already has come. As usuallots of unhappy affairs happens everyday, however, we are especiallyworried about Indonesia Earthquake. It is reported that more than 3million people were seriously injured, and most of them are stillwaiting curing and medical relief supplies. Just same as Japan,Indonesia is on the quake zone, people can never be free from the riskof earthquake. We have donated 100,000 yen to Doctors Without Borders. They say theamount can supply 80 surgical narcosis kits or 1250 immunizationinstruments. We hope their aid will reach injured people as soon aspossible. This donation is from our profit, which you allowed us toleave for our works. So it is from ICHIROYA and Ichiroya's customers.Thank you again for your orders and help, which makes this donationpossible!
Be that as it may, I sometimes feel why some very valuable items havebeen in our store without being sold. Our stocks have grown to hugevolume, so we feel some very charming items are buried in lots of items,and they seem not to be checked by customers. And we always feel thatour (especially my ) English skills are not enough to convey their value andcharms adequately. If some customers(presenters) recommend our items, we feel othercustomers must know better about the items. If some customers(presenters) select some items, and add theirrecommending comments, other customers must be convenient to know theidea from different points of views. If we pay several percent of the sales to presenters when othercustomers buy their recommend items, presenters also may be delighted.It is a kind of affiliate, but we do not think it is same as otheraffiliate system. We don't want make everyone presenters - ourpresenters must be our customers, who already bought kimono or antiqueitems from us.
We are not sure this system work well, but recently estimate sheet came,and we know making this affiliate system will cost way expensive than weimagined. We discussed, and we determined that we should begin fromminimum level. We would like to welcome several presenters, and maketheir pages by our side. We have made a sample page as below;
http://www.ichiroya.com/sp/list.php?spid=S44823f588cac0
We welcome 5 presenters from our customers. Would you become a presenter,and recommend our items?
- We pay 5% of the sales, if your recommend items are sold.- We pay by PAYPAL or you can apply it for discount of your payment.- Available period is 2 weeks. You dominate items for the 2 weeks.- Items recently listed can not be selected. Items must be on 4th pageor more back pages in each category. - Kimono site items are available. Except antique site and TJA siteitems. ( Temporarily ) - Please email us '5 select items list' and 'recommend comments'. Itsall you have to do. However, if you advertise you page, sale possibilitywill increase dramatically. You can send emails to your friends of yourrecommend page, or make links from your blog or web page to your page.
Are you interested in this system? If you want to be a presenter, pleaselet us know by email.
Thank you for reading to the end. We will list fukusa, fukusa designingpaper, bolt and antique items. We are very grateful if you can check our interesting new arrivals.We wish you a happy new week.
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

No 146


Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.146.How are you? This is Yuka from Ichiroya. Some of you may be feeling the beginning of summer already,some of you may still have cold days. May is said to be a most pleasant month in Japan -- June isour rainy season and we have just heard Kyusyu area(southern part of Japan)has just entered the rainyseason and the seasonal rain front is coming up gradually.
Today, Ichiro and our older daughter both went an auction trip - and I am writing this newsletter.As Ichiro wrote in our website,Ichiro's mother was working as a kimono seamstress for over 50 years.My grandmother also was sewing kimono and teaching how to sew to younger people in her neighborhood.My grandmother's generation, it seemed all women had to be able to sew kimono for their family. At present time, there are many schools to teach how to sew kimono but in old times sewing kimono is a natural thing which women learn from their mothers without taking classes. In other words, women were born to get married, do all the household including making kimono for their families. So all women had the knowledge about kimono sewing for some extent, they could at least sew unlined kimonoprobably.Like my grandmother, there are these older people who could help younger people with sewing and dressing kimono- I remember my grandmother and her neighbors getting together in her small room, chatting and sewing. I was playing with my cousins and waited her little kimono class to end. I was always fascinated by her little sewing kit and haribako beside her.
These are the very similar things she was using:
http://www.city.onojo.fukuoka.jp/culture_rekisi_bunkazai_mingu05
She had this type of haribako and it was full of threads, pins, needles,thimbles and fabrics. Therewas a small hole to put the measuring stick too. The little drawers were full of these things and after she worked, everything could fit in this compact haribako like a magic. On the top you see the tray but behind that tray there is another space or drawer and to me,it was like a secret treasurebox. I think she had a low table and had a folding board where she placed kimono fabric and cut.She was always sitting on her knees,( she was a very small woman) and when sitting on the small zabuton(flat cushion) she was like a small doll. She had her kappougi apron(aprons which can cover sleeves too) and beside here, there was always a kukedai- it is in the left of the photo-it is a stand to holdthe third hand. It may be hard to see but there is a pinch tied to the stand. The other end of fabriccan be pinched to to pull the fabric and make it easier when kimono are sewn. The bottom of the standis tuckedunder zabuton, so the sewer is sitting on it and the stand can be stable. You can also see thescissors just like the ones we have in our J Artisan's website. http://www.tourjartisan.com/index.phpIt is called nigiribasami-these are the kind which were always around and used for sewing.
Sometime ago, I visited my uncle's house to help them moving. They moved into a flat from a house theylived with their mother(my grand mother). There were two big tansu and some small things my grandmotherleft- there were the stand(with third hand). an old type iron-(they were warmed by hibachi, brazier)and her letters to her children and so on.We carried one of the tansu(chest) to my mother's house. The other bigger tansu had no place to go,unfortunately. The tansu had two parts and the bottom part was for kimono and the upper part has a lotof small drawers and the sliding door on the top part. Both my mother and my uncle told me that theyremember their grand mother used to give them sweets she was hiding behind the sliding door secretlyShe called her grandchildren and let them open their mouths and fed them like a parent bird.Their grandmother was very harsh to their mother but she seemed to have spoiled her grandchildren( my mother and my uncle). My mother is 71 years old now but she remembered about it so vividly.
Hisami who is in charge of our antique website wrote her first newsletter the other day. Both Ichiro andHisami do not care to drive long distance as long as there is an auction. In antique auctions, women arevery few and older people often tease her but she laughs away and concentrate very hard on the thingsin front of her- she sometimes have a nose of German shepherd and sniffs out the treasures from a bigpile of goods.She does not care getting up at dawn and looks blissful when she could find wonderful old goods. In our antique store, there are some haribako just like the one my grandmother had- we hope you enjoy seeingthe haribako which have been used in my grandmother's generation:
http://www.antiqueichiroya.com/item/list2.php?number=500763http://www.antiqueichiroya.com/item/list2.php?number=500562http://www.antiqueichiroya.com/item/list2.php?number=500141
We will be adding charming antique items including a horse, misu screen(lovely size!)and antique ko-tansuat Antique Ichiroya and adding kimono, great catch of fish flag, fabrics AND 10 kimono bundle pack --20 charming kimono as a pack.We will be very happy if you have some time to check our new arrivals.
Domo arigato gozaimasu for reading our newsletter. We wish you a wonderful new week!

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

No 145


Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.145.I returned from Shanghai 14th Sunday, and this week is comparativelyrelaxed. I attended two kimono auctions ( and Hisami also attended threeantique auctions), and I went to 'Fusuido-no-Shitsurai-Ten'( Handicraft ShowHeld in Daimaru Umeda Department Store ). Approx 50 handicraft artisans and artists are participating. Pages areJapanese, but here is the web page about this fair. http://www.daimaru.co.jp/fusuido/This is the pages of introducing artisans and artists. http://www.daimaru.co.jp/fusuido/umeda/index.htmlArtisans and artists are selected carefully by Mr. Toshihiro Imai, whoknows much about Asia's culture and crafts. All of their technique havegenuine origin in Japan or other Asian countries, and also have moderntaste, which fit our modern lives.About 8 or 9 years ago, when this first fair was held at Daimarudepartment store, I was the windows man of department store. ( It wasvery interesting, but also tough experience!) We are going to sell the accessories of an artist among them, and I mether and had a business talk with her. http://www.daimaru.co.jp/fusuido/art/u19s18/index.htmlShe is a very charming person, and I really enjoyed talking with her. Wewould like to sell her items immediately, but now she is a mother of twobabies and can not take enough time to make her products. She promisedto offer her items at our site, but it will be autumn when enough itemsare made and prepared.
By the way, I didn't write enough about the trip to Shanghai in our lastNewsletter.What an exciting city Shanghai is!People are vibrantly and new buildings are being built all over hell'shalf acre. On the roads lots of cars, bicycles, bikes, pedestrians andsales people are rushing their ways. I didn't understand who have theright to go first - Shoko and I had to have strong courage only to goacross the road. I can never drive by myself in China! I felt the town scenes are very similar to the scenes in Japan when Iwas a boy. 30 or 40 years ago, Japan had to have very similar atmosphereto today's Shanghai. Japan was at the high-growth period, and people andtown were more energetic and wild than now. I convince China must grow rapidly for these 30-40 years same as Japan did. What will happen in this world, if the country with 1.4 billionpopulation grow rapidly? Japan's population is only 100 million, andalso English speakers are also only 1 billion!
We visited a factory, who is specialized in kimono sewing. We wereastonished to see hundreds of seamstresses were sewing kimono without uttering a word.We heard that they are hiring more than 7 hundred seamstresses, andtrain them to be able to sew kimono. As you know, most kimono are sewncustom made. So immediately we understood they need verysophisticated and tough management to sewing hundreds of different sizekimonos at a time. In addition, there must to know about kimono and specialterms of Japanese kimono to communicate with Japanese customers.There are many sewing factories in China, but there are only a few ones,who can sew kimono. One vice-president is a beautiful lady in her twenty's , who was aseamstress when their factory was established. She speaks Japanesefluently and knows everything about sewing kimono. It is amazing thatshe manages 700 seamstressed with ingenuity! She said mentality of seamstresses dramatically changed recently - whenshe became a seamstress, everyone were very hungry and they worked hardto support their families. However, seamstresses she recently hiressatisfy if they earn only their allowance, and never work harder thanbefore. This story is very interesting - in many different aspects,China is coming the same way Japan have come.
We are going to make men's formal kimono and haori set at their factory.It will take a few month to be able to sell at our site. They are madeof exquisite black polyester ( very similar to habutae silk ), and theywill fit to 190cm( 74.8in height). They are sewn by high-tech sewing machine,and similar quality to hand sewing ones. We are thinking the prices, butit may be around 350 USD (retail price). And we will be able to sell at wholesale for bulk buying.
Thank you for reading to the end! Today we will list haori( one piece issuperb one! Must check!), obi design paper and antique items. We wishyou could check them and find your favorite.
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

No 144


Dear Customers & FriendsHello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.144.Just now I returned from Shanghai in China! Shoko ( our elder daughter, who is studying Chinese in university ) accompanied me. Shanghai is very exciting! We felt very energy of people and society. Maybe 40 years ago, Japan also had to had same kind of energy. We visited a kimono sewing company, and had a meeting about men's kimono project. Today is Sunday, but lots of professional seamstresses were sewing sedulously. They sew their kimono not by simple machine sewing method like making T shirts - they sew in two methods - all hand sewing or hand sewing plus high-tech sewing machine. I was astonished to see lots of items are sewn one by one elaborately in each sizes.At first we are going to make large men's kimono at moderate price. And we hope in furture we would make large size yukata for women.We are very sorry but we don't have enough time to write letter - tomorrow I must leave office very early to attend an auction in Iga.I will stop writing here, but we would like to let you know our new items on Tour J Artisan.Do you know Satsuma Yaki, one of the most gorgeous gold china in Japan. And do you know the tradition of Satsuma Yaki is still alive?
Please visit here!http://www.tourjartisan.com/tour/6/index.html
Today we will list Band New Narumi Yukata, Karinui, Obi,Antique items and bolt. And we will list them earlier than usual.
Thank you for reading to the end!Sincerely,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

No 143

Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA'S News LetterNo.143.Here in Japan, this week is Golden Week holidays, but my these two weeksare incredibly busy. I had to drive several times, and was often caughtby unusual traffic jam. Roads were crowded with cars with families, andI envied the a little bit.
30th Sunday - Went to yuzen dyer's work shop in Kyoto. I was astonishedand charmed by his skill! He is making our scarves with ancient Yuzentechnique. We believe his scarves will be the highest quality one in theworld. We hope we can offer you as soon as possible.
1st Monday - Attended a kimono auction in Osaka.
4th Thursday - Went a work shop of Satsuma Yaki potter - Shima san. Aweek later we will offer his Satsuma yaki(from 15th May) at our TJA. Youmay know about Satsuma Yaki, but we think you don't know there still areSatsuma Yaki potter in Japan. His traditional Satsuma Yaki techniquemakes most regal gold potteries - We promise they are more gorgeous thanyou could imagine.
5th Friday - Went to a senior kimono dealer's place. She had kept somesupreme items for our customers as always. It took very long time toreach her house for unusual trafffic jam. However, we could get somesupreme treasures! Today we will list some of them - three SUPURB maruobi, men's muso haori ( you may have not seen such items! Please check!)
6th Saturday - President of Tsuzure Weaving company came to our officewith 'tsuzure bag project'. Their bags are exceptionally charming! Wewish we could show you right now! He is making more items than weexpected. About this tsumetsuzure formal bag, we will sell our site TJA at retailprice, and also we are going to sell at wholesale basis. All items havedifferent designs, and they must be very special and unique items forretailers. The bags are unique and there is nothing similar in the world we think.7th Sunday - Going to a kimono auction in Kakegawa ( Shizuoka prefecture).I wish I can take seat in Shinkansen Express - I fear the same thing mayhappen as on roads. And of course we wish we can have fantastic itemsthere.
10th Wednesday - Going to a kimono auctiion in Kanazawa(Ishikawaprefecture ). This auction will start this month. Kanazawa is little bitfar, and I am wondering we should go or not.
11th Thursday - Going to a kimono auction in Osaka.
12th Friday - Going to kimono fabric auction in Kyoto.
13th Saturday, 14th Sunday - I will go Shanghai in China to visit thea kimono sewing company. We are going to make large size men's kimono atlower prices with them. To make resonable price ones, we must make inChina or other Asian counties. ( Of course for the high-end traditionalgoods, we offer Japanese artisan's items.) We are learning how to shipand return fabrics and kimonos to China. At first trial we are going tomake 60 kimono and haori set, and will offer to the customers, who areway taller than Japanese average height. If this trial goes well, wewould like to wholesale these items. Don't you need large men's blackformal haori and kimono set? ( Shoko, our elder daughter will accompanywith me. She is studying China, and we would like to show her howShanghai is.)
15th Monday - Going to a kimono auction in Iga.

Ooops! I must go bed, or else I can not get up early for very earlymorning train! Please visit our site regularily also this week!
*We are adding supreme obi, men's kimono set and also fabulous Fireman's jacket.We hope you have some time to check our new arrivals.In the antique store, there is a very unique wooden Tabacco case coated on urushi.It is truly a charming piece. We hope you will enjoy checking our new arrivals.
Thank you again!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

No 142


Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.142.It was a lovely and sunny Sunday. We saw some women using parasols toavoid the sunlight. `Bihaku` is the keyword you hear most often now inJapan - it means `whitening`. Skin-whitening products and UV productshit the shelves and you can see many women with hats or parasols(or longgloves)in Japan.Today, Ichiro is in Kyoto to meet another craftsman(a Yuzen dyer), and I(Yuka) am writing this e-mail. I sit in front of my computer almost all day but I am not good atoperating computers at all. Sometimes my computers behaves badly and verymean to me, but when I ask Kayo or Mami for help, the computer worksjust correctly. They think I am crying wolf all the time.Regarding our website, we have added revision once in a while but stillcannot be perfect at all. I would like to add some things which may notbe described clearly in our website- and if this becomes helpful tosearch the things you like I will be very happy. For the next revision,your advice will be very much appreciated.
The categories of our items are shown on the left of the top page butthere are quite many pages for each category, so to narrow and reach theitems you like faster, there is a search corner on the right of the toppage.* If you are looking for a certain type of kimono, for example, a formalblack kimono to wear, then you can choose `kimono section' at Item pulldown menu. If you know the word `kurotomesode', it is easier but if youdo not know the word, you can enter key words as `black, formal' and soon. If you have any request about size, history, fabric, condition &price, choose what you like.(Regarding size, kimono sizing may be quiteconfusing, so if you could e-mail us directly, we will be happy toanswer any questions)The MOST IMPORTANT thing is to check ` Only selling now'. It meansit shows the things available. If you do not check here, the both `sold` itemsand `on sale` items show. We are sorry this expression must not beappropriate, We will be revising to show this point more clearly in thefuture. When you want to see the things on sale only, please check here(Only selling now).
The reason we have `sold` items remaining for a while(usually sold itemsremain one week and then deleted automatically), is we often receiveinquiries about the items which appeared on the site. To identify theitem which are inquiring about, the sold items remain for a while. Weare sorry this may be making it inconvenient, and thank you for yourpatience and consideration.If you browse each page and when you want to go back to the top page,you can always click the logo mark to go back to the top page.To see the new arrivals, please click the items of New Arrival corner.
Since we have started our website, our fixed idea has been blown awaymany times. Obi as a table runner? Kimono for interior display? Haori asa jacket with other clothing? Wearing a haori inside out? Shibori fabricmade into a dress? All these things seem to be very natural now but tobe honest, everything was a big surprise at first. We found ourcustomers were wonderful decorators, designers and stylists using kimonoand fabrics and learned so much. Many customers thank us for introducingJapanese culture and traditional items but you are the ones who enhancedthe possibilities of these old and traditional Japanese clothing.By re-creating, many kimono and fabrics were reborn to be used again.
We want to introduce the two charming people who are doing thisre-creation of kimono and fabrics in Germany. Their company's name isSAI SO and SAI SO literally means to recreate, and this is their website:http://www.saiso.de/Please try the wonderful movie of their new collection for the comingseasons. Martin san and Gabriella san make this alluring and stylish company. Martin san who is from `music` field and Martin san's wife Gabriellasan who works as a movie producer and also works with Martin san are creatingfantastic fashion items using old kimono fabrics. We had an opportunityto meet both of them in April and are charmed by their friendliness andopen mind. Martinsan's encounter with kimono fabrics was a long time agobut he never imagined he would be working with kimono, but his career inmusic and art field led him to the new world of recreation using thesevery old fabrics from Japan. Some handembroiedered flower motif fromvintage kimono are reborn as one point of a fashionable dresses, andfamily crest becomes like a subtle but stylish accent of shirts. Like awonderful fusion music, they create dresses, jackets, accessaries andinterior products which are highly fashionable
Thank you very much for buying tiny traditional scissors made byFujiwara san. He is very happy that his scissors are sent to all overthe world - when our stocks are all sold, it may take some time ( acouple of weeks to a month) but he says he will be happy to make morefor you, so please contact us any time for more scissors.His scissors are basically for sewing(cutting threads and fabrics) butyou can cut paper too, however if you cut paper often with the scissors,it may be better to add some oil(machine oil or salad oil)to keep theblade not to get too dry.
We are adding kimono, furisode and fabrics(including charming patternBingo kasuri)tomorrow. We will be very happy if you have time to check our new arrivals.We wish you a happy new week, antatani totte yoi issyukan dearimasuyouni.Domo arigato gozaimasu.
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

No 141


Dear Customers & FriendsHello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No. 141.We visited Gramma Ashiwa's workshop two weeks ago, and made her page in Tour J Artisan. We got new sakiori item - Oshima brown color one for TJA.We are very happy if you could check Gramma Ashiwa's work and technique at our site.
http://www.tourjartisan.com/tour/5/index.html
Today we have listed lots of fantastic obi, Bingo kasuri and bolt at kimono site, and some woodblock print, urushi bowl, rare yagen, zushi and vintage mirror at antique item site. We are very happy if you could check them.
http://www.ichiroya.com/item/search.php?md=0424http://www.antiqueichiroya.com/item/search.php?md=0424
We wish you a nice spring weekend! Sicenery,
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

Dear Customers & FriendsHello from Japan! This is Kimono FLea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.140.Today we have listed a new item on 'Tour J Artisan'. Please visit here!
http://www.tourjartisan.com/tour/4/index.html
Today we will list karinui, bolt, supreme urushi set and others. We are very happy if you could find you favorite items among them.
Thank you very much for your partonage! 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

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

No 138


Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.138.Sakura(cherry) starts flowering here in Osaka. Mugi, our younger daughterattended an entrance ceremony of her college with Yuka. I am very surprisedto hear that the college have an exhibition soccer match with a professionalteam from Osaka for celebration.
Two staff left our office, and both go to school to learn new things. Most school starts in April, and many people start new things in spring.Some people leave and some new staff are coming--April really has come!
In this letter, I would like to some short topics about our daily life and works.
*I am wearing a jeans, which is dyed with natural 'ai'(indigo). As you know, Japanese natural ai is different from chemical indigo, which is ordinarilyused to dye jeans. Natural ai dyed cotton has beautiful deep navy ai color,and when it is washed, its color become deeper and more beautiful, same as theold cotton we have at our site. Chemical indigo dyed jeans's color only becomeslight and whitish. I want to check how the natural ai color will change on jeans.Natural ai dyed jeans is expensive ( approx 300USD), but if the jeans becomebeautiful like old Japanese cotton by wearing many times, don't you think theprice is worth? I started to wear this jeans a few weeks ago, and washed once. Its navy color is deepand beautiful now. I will inform you how the color change during the long time!http://www.sugarcane.jp/original.html
*Last week I went to Tokyo, and looked accessories made of 'kumihimo'. Kumiko Muramatsumakes elegant accessories with 'kumihimo' technique. 'Kumihimo' is a technique ofweaving(brading) cords for obijime and other kimono accessories. She learned 'kumihimo'technique, and uses for making her charming accessories.We are asking her to offer her items on our site Tour J Artisan.http://www.jade.dti.ne.jp/~yu-do/regular/muramatsu.html
*Tow days ago, I talked to an fan artisan in Kyoto. He makes fabulous fans and selling alot mainly at his shop. He is a hard-core artisan, but he seemed to be interested in ourproject. We said we were looking for supreme Japanese fan for our site, with the highestquality of hand work and exotic Rimpa taste. If our customers become to want buy fans,they never want the souvenir level ones. He says there must be the market I suggested,but now he nor other Kyoto fan makers don't make such items. He is very busy to produce ordinary items now ( summer is coming!). But during that timehe said he will study about the taste we wanted, and after high product season he promisedto try to make special fans for our site. We are very happy to know he thinks our plan isvery valuable to be tried. We will send some photos and documents for the fan planning. Don't miss it!
*About two weeks ago, I met a lady whose name is Anna Nakajima. She is making Western dressusing uchikake and other kimonos. We knew some people who were makin dresses with kimonos,but she is special because she is selling mainly to European customers. I visited herworkshop, and checked her items. They have good quality and well thought designs forforeigners. She is very young ( early 20's), but she had lived in Europe for a long time.She speaks English fluently, and already has lots of customers in especially in theUnited Kingdom. From her speaking, I came to know she has very good Japanese servicemind for her customers, and also business plan.She has her website in Japanese, but now she is making English site. We are going tointroduce her to our customers, for those who are interested in making a custom made dressusing kimonos. We will let you know when her new site is open. If you are interested,please check the site below ( Japanese site).http://annaniponica.com/
*We are trying to make large size men's kimono. We are often asked about large size men'skimono, but Japanese men's average height is approx 170cm, which is about 10cm less thanWesterners. In addition, people in olden times were shorter approx 10cm compared to now.So always we were frustratedt that we could not offer matching size used kimono for tallermen. Todays men's average height become higher, but making large size kimono cost veryexpensive. We are trying to make men's formal black kimono and haori set for tall men ( it will fit up to 195cm- 76.8in height) at very moderate price. We found polyester black fabrics,and found sewing company in China. We must study and arrange for consignment manufacturingtrade, but in future we will sell them at our store.Recently we found men's hakama for tall men ( approx 185cm-73in height). http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2.php?number=94122
*Yesterday my mother called me, when I was attended a kimono auction. She said my fatherhad a car accident yesterday. He run his car toward the opposite lane ( he seemed to lethis mind drift). Fortunately, no one have been harmed, but he gave scratches to two cars.Police men came, and my father apologized the drivers. He arranged the fix of the cars.Everything seemed to be settled, but next day a driver called my father and made an appointment to meet my father.My mother said, 'I am worrying whether your father can manage. He is very unreliable.Can you go with him?' I couldn't go, but I gave some advice - Apologize sincerely.But never promise anything, for examples giving money or something. All monetarynegotiations must be done by the insurance company. After the auction I called my father and got angry to hear that he promised to pay about1000 USD to him. Now he is 76 years old, and turned to be like a little boy! ImmediatelyI called the man's cell-phone,and I declared that I will never let my father pay anythingto him. Immediately he said he understood, but would go to police again, and say he wasinjured by the accident. I said OK! No problem! You can go to police and assurancecompany to deceive if you can! I felt interesting he seemed to be slightly scared,because of my strong wording and the word of 'I am the son of him, and dealing kottou(Japanese antiques)'. I couldn't imagine my father and mother became to need my such kind of helps, whenI was young. Yuka feelingly said that ageing is such kind of thing. Yuka also is feelingthat her parents are sometimes like kids recently.
Thank you very much for reading to the end. Today we will list moderate price uchikake, haori,antique items and bolt. We wish you could find your favorite ones amongthem.
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

No 137


Dear Customers and FriendsHello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.137.
This is Yuka writing this newsletter today. Ichiro was traveling to Okayamato attend an action there. Okayama is a prefecture lacated in western Japanand is famous for `kibi dango' the sweet dumpling.Momotaro(Peach Boy) was said to bring kibi dango when he started on a journey to fight off Oni(ogre).
Today I am going to write about tanmono and karinui. Tanmono is 'bolt'whichyou can see many numbers in our website. Some of you might remember one scenefrom the movie, `A Memoirs of a Geisha'. When Sayuri was evacuated to acountryside during wartime, she was working with village people and dryingmany colorful tanmono by hanging up high and all the long strips of tanmonowas wind-whipping and it was an impressive scenery(especially in that darktime of the war).
Tanmono are fabrics to make a kimono or haori, and the width is around 36-40cm(approx 14 -16 inches). If length of a fabric is around 800cm(approx 315 inches), it is a fabric forhaori and if the length is around 1200cm(approx 472 inches), the fabric is forkimono making.We are often asked about a kimono for a tall person and also if it is possibleto make a kimono(custom made) from these tanmono.Kimono are made to be long, so the problem with the length can be solved mostof the time but what becomes the problem always is the sleeve to sleeve length(yuki). To make it very short, kimono are made by placing four panels of tanmonofabric - two panels for the body part and one panel for each sleeve.So the maximum sleeve to sleeve length which can be made from a bolt is:
the width x 4 minus seam allowance
If the width of the bolt is 36cm(approx 14 inches), the maximum sleeve to sleevelength we can make is 136cm(approx 53.5 inches). It does not mean the shoulder towrist is 36cm--as you notice, unlike western shirt, the seamline of the shoulder drops toward sleeves when the kimono is worn.Taller person have longer arms and with the regular tanmono it is quite difficultto have enough sleeve to sleeve length for a taller person. The kimono can be likea half-sleeve kimono. Younger Japanese people are taller, so there SHOULD be widerkimono blots but because of the change of lifestyles, they just do not wear kimono,so the wider bolts are not just made.We are seeking for fabrics which are not originally for kimono (probably for Yofuku-western clothing) but suitable to make a kimono for a taller person.
Karinui fabrics- which are cut and sewn roughly to kimono shape must be a confusingitem too. It looks just like a kimono and looks wearable. But karinui also is originallya bolt. Usually the kimono like furisode which has a dramatic flowing design are madeinto karinui and can be shown to the customers so the customers can have the ideahow the whole patterns looks like when the fabric is made into a kimono.
As you know, an obi belt is worn over a kimono, so the prominent patterns are usuallyaround the bottom. It is amazing to see our customers creative work using kimonofabrics. I mean it is just so fantastic. Suit, blouse, pants, skirt and vest---wehave some photos of enchanting handmade clothing but we are sure there are morecustomers who are using kimono fabrics and making charming things. Not only clothingbut tasteful bed cover and other things too!Domo arigato gozaimasu for using kimono fabrics with wonderful and creative way.The narrowness of kimono bolts may be restrictive but you have already overcome this.
****************************************************************
We are very happy to inform you another very charming craftsman, Watanabe san.
http://www.ichiroya.com
He make beautiful urushi (lacquered) ware. Urushi wan has warmth of wood and keepsfood (especially miso soup) not to become cold easily. Please enjoy the harmonyof warmth of wood and the lacquered surface of urushi.
We are adding ranru, yogi(do not be surprised by the size!), charming futon, sakiori,antique and bolts tomorrow morning. We hope you will enjoy browsing ournew arrivals.domo arigato gozaimasu for reading our newsletter.
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

No 136


Dear Customers and FriendsHello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News LetterNo.136.Last Friday I went to Kanazawa to visit urushi artisan's workshop.I left our office at 6 a.m. after listing antique items and fabrics. FromOsaka station I got Thunderbird Express, and reached Kanazawa at about9:30 a.m. Watanabe san was waiting just out of the ticket wicket, with full smile.Two weeks ago, I met him at a department store in Osaka. I was lookingat beautiful urushi wares, and he spoke to me that he made those items.His urushi wares were simple and strong atmosphere, and has beautifuldeep natural urushi surface. In addition they have beautiful grainpattern beyond the urushi coat. At a glance I came to like his work andwished to introduce at our site. I asked some questions, and soon I cameto know he is a genuine ARTISAN, and simply hopes to make good items. Hesaid that all woods are alive and beautiful itself, and he doesn'(Bt wantto add too much artificial decoration. His father was'kiji-shi'(B, anartisan who carves the wood to table wares'(B shapes with 'rokuro'(Bwheel.To complete making urushi ware, makie-shi ( makie painter) and otherartisan do their work on their 'kiji'(B (wooden basis) and products arecompleted. Among the whole procedure, kiji-shi'(Bs work is most severeand most unprofitable. But kiji-shi knows most about wood and carvingdetermines the quality of urushi product. He learned how to make kijifrom his father, and later learned about urushi　by himself. I asked himto let us offer his items in our site, and he said to be willing to doso.Kanazawa city is one of the most beautiful castle town, and called `Shou-Kyoto'(B. 'Shou'(B means small. It means Kanazawa has beautiful oldcityscape and rich traditions of art and crafts like Kyoto. It is famousfor Kaga Yuzen, beaten gold, Kutani pottery and others. Kenroku en issaid to be the one of most beautiful garden in Japan. This time, Ididn't have enough time to take a walk in the city, but I still rememberthe'(Bwonderful day when I walked around Kanazawa almost 15 years ago.Watanabe san put me in this car, and drove into the mountain towards west.His workshop is in the Fukumitsu, approx 20km west from Kanazawa. Fukumitsu is small and old town with large rice paddy and old people. Mostfamous sightseeing spot is the house of Shiko Munakata, an outstanding printmaker. Before he became famous, wealthy people in Fukumitsu supportedhis life. Watanabe san said he knew one of his major patron, whose housealso became reference library and sightseeing spots. When Watanabe sanwas a boy, he knew Shiko Munakata but he seemed to be only a difficultman, and Watanabe san never knew he was such an admirable person. Shiko'(Bs house is very interesting. On the walls of bed room and toilet (also on the ceiling of toilet ), very large pictures are drawn. Before heowned this house, he rent a house in Fukumitsu. Shiko couldn'(Btstop drawing pictures on walls of houses, and again and again his wifehad to apologize the house owners and move. At last no one in Fukumitsuoffered him to rent a house. Shiko had to be delight when he owned hishouse, and had walls which he could freely draw as he wanted. All suchpictures were wiped out or threw out except his house'(Bs ones, before hebecame famous. People who did so must regret now ! They wiped out thevaluable artwork without knowing how valuable they were.
He also drove me to Gokashoyama. It is on 17th March, and Osaka was almost in early spring. But we went over a mountain to Gokasyoyama, I wasextremely astonished to see exceptionally thick layer of snow! Besidesthe driving roadways, thickness is nearly 2 meters. Gokashoyama is inthe mountains, and snows heavily. In olden times people in Gokashoyamacouldn'(Bt come out to town for its heavy snow in winter season. FleeingHeike warriors were said to build these villages in isolation from thesociety. To live in the very heavy snow, people built unique housecalled Gasho-zukuri'(B. It has three or four floors tall house, with verythick straw roof. Roof is very steep, and under the hem, wide water poolis made to melt the snow. and Shirakawago are famous for its Gosho-zukuri houses ( theywere built in the ending Edo Priod( 1603-1867) or early Meiji period(1868-1912),and recently registered as a World Heritage Site.I touched the pile of snow. And Watabane san laughed and said, ' I can'(Btbelieve there are people who want to touch snow purposely'(B. And he told mehow the people in his district struggle against heavy snow.Especially for the old people, how the snow removing take too much work,how danger it is , and how expensive to hire persons for removing. Hepointed a house, whose roof is broken in the hem and support logs areadded. He said house owner had to be shamed for failing removing.Watanabe san says, this severity of the winter had to make this district as urushi ware product center. Long winter locked in heavy snow drovepeople to making various handicrafts like urushi. In the district urushiwood were abundance, and in his father'(Bs age there remained some urushicollectors. And he says this tough weather cultivates good wood. 'Keyaki'(B (zelkova)in this district has more thick and beautiful grains, compared to otherdistricts'(B zelkova.
In his work shop, he showed me his incredible 'rokuro'(B work. He has lotsof good wood stocks, which he inherited from his father. He touchesturning wood with a gear lightly, turning wood changes its form perceptively.With using original gages, he makes the precisely same form at incrediblespeed. He says he has absolute aplomb about speed and preciseness of his rokuro'(B work. He coats his kiji with natural urushi. He coats all kijimore than several times ! He coats, drys and polishes, and repeats thismethod several times. His urushi surface has very deep, clear and characteristicurushi colors. His origin is kiji-shi so beyond the urushi coat, grains ofzelkova, chestnut or other woods can be seen. To make wood strong hesometimes add fabrics 'nunome'(B) on the hems and bottom and coatedwith urushi. Nunome also gives interesting accent on the wares. Hedoesn'(Bt agree, but I think he also has good design sense.specially his 'Katakuchi-bachi'(B(lipped bowl) has great charm - bold chiselbut surface, round rokuro bottom and inside has strong and exotic atmosphere,and must be good sake pitcher. I think his product can be put more expensive prices same as other popularurushi Artists(not Artisan). But he says he wants to please customers byoffering genuine urushi wares at moderate prices, and keep to make moreitems with his father'(Bs stocks.
His items will come this week, and we hope to list them at our Tour J Artisansite in next week. All of his items are unique and if they are sold, we mustwait for a long time. If you are interested in Watanabe san'(Bs urushi work,please don'(Bt miss when we start listing.
Today we will list men's kimono, haori karinui fabric, chirimen bag, antique items and others. We are very happy if you could check our new listing items.

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

No 135

Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.135.Do you know Sekka Kamisaka?Recently I hear TV commercial says Takashimaya department store will mount the exhibitionof Sekka Kamisaka from 5th April to 17th April. ( Takashimaya Osaka Store will hold this exhibition, and later Tokyo Store will hold same one from 24th to May to 5th June. ). And whenI looked the current issue of 'Ginka', which has most sophisticated Japanese crafts articles, I found his name and his design.Recently we are thinking and trying to make high quality Japanese handicrafts items, which will be well accepted in other countries. I knew his name, and we also sold his wood block print book in past times. But recently we didn't remind his name and works when we were discussing the item designs.We have noticed - his idea and work must inspire our plans!
Sekka Kamisaka was born in ending Edo Priod, and did great art work from Meiji period(1868-1912) to early Showa period. He learned traditional Japanese-style painting and designing, especially made a commitment to Rimpa style. Rimpa is the artists group in Edo Priod( 1603-1867), includes Soutatsu Tawaraya, Kourin Ogata and others. Their designs are bold and dramatic, and had greatimpact to Japanese art and also Impressionist school of Europe.He went Europe and studied Western art and crafts. It was 1934, when exotic Japonism effected European art, and art nouveau was very popular. He had to re-realize that Japanese design had great power which captivated modern Western people. Return to Kyoto, he did lots of design work for various artifacts, and became a leader of artifactsdesign. His design works inherit characteristics of Rimpa, and at a time they are futuristic and modern. The borderline of Japanese and Western seems not to exist. His design themes are always the closest thing of our ordinary lives, and also he was willing tomake designs for usual artifacts.
If you search internet with his name, you can find more than 48000 hits. ( Japanese pages hitonly 16000. He is said more popular in other countries, and we can confirm the reality bysearching internet.)In these some pages you can look his unique design works.
http://www.japangalleryprints.com/artist_list.asp?artist_id=86http://www.shinise.ne.jp/options/shinise/pa_categorylist.asp?c_id=277&temp_id=24&shownum=30&offset_val=0&shp=34http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:dtfhw_B4GmQJ:www.chiso.co.jp/info/topics/2003/08-04.html+%E9%9B%AA%E4%BD%B3%E3%80%80%E5%B1%95%E8%A6%A7%E4%BC%9A&hl=ja&gl=jp&ct=clnk&cd=45http://www.artdaily.com/section/news/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=10578
In 2001 Hermes's catalog magazine used Sekka's design on their cover and had opening articleabout him. His exhibition was also held in United States as above link. In his design works, there must be important hints about the design we are looking for - very Japanese, but acceptable also in other countries.
I heard that we can enjoy about 80 Sekka's works at Takashimaya's exhibition. If you have chance to come Osaka or Tokyo, we highly recommend to visit.
*We are looking for Sekka's woodblock print book, but seldom come across. We have sold only one Sekka's book in the past. His woodblock print books were re-publised several times, and we sometimes see comparatively new ones.Two issues of his design collection books ( modern print one) are also sold now.********************************************************
We are adding furisode, yukata and bolts. Charming antique items are added to Japanese Antiques Ichiroya, too.(http://www.antiqueichiroya.com)
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

No 134


Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.134.I visited an atelier of a dyer, Mr Yasuhiro Takahashi on Saturday. As I mentioned in my last newsletter, he has been a dyer nearly 40 years and from ten years ago, he is doing a project of restoring and re-creating of dyed fabrics from Edo period and he is one of the most famous expert of recent dyeing field in Japan. He lookes like a big bear but he is a very quiet man-I noticed his finger tips are all dyed also which can tell his work.I knew him from ten years ago and I felt so honored to meet him again - this time I could meet him to work together. I was too happy and bombard him withquestions! (Thank you very much Takahashi san)
Generally, it is considered that chemical dye stuff is used after Meiji period(1868-1912), but actually it was started in the end of Edo bakufu-government of Edo. The colors which did not exist were done by chemical stuff, so it may sound strange but supreme items of that era often has chemical dyed stuff used(because the chemical dye stuff was very expensive)It reminded me of Shobo banten(Fireman's jacket ) from Edo period, which had very strong purple color so it was the reason.Takahashi san said dye stuff have been basically the same going back to the time of Nara period(Nara period 714-784). Dating the things from that era is quite difficult by seeing the dye stuff or colors and rather designs and the fabric can be a better clue.Regarding dye stuff. it can be 2 major kinds. Just as Yuzen technique, use dark colors applied by brush(fude) or just as Ai dyeing, soaking into Ai many times-one time soaking can only made very light color)The former dyeing(Yuzen) is invented by Miyazaki Yuzensai in early Edo. According to this technique, all colors are said to be made by four basic dye stuff.red- nama enji(cochineal insect )yellow- syou(tree sap )blue- airou (indigo)black-kuro (Japanese ink)
The shading of three primary colors seemed to have produeced all colors. To fix the colors, `gojiru'(juice made by grating soya bean )is added.Takahashi san showed me a part of his collection from Edo period. How gorgeous and genteel the colors on the kimono! I was fascinated by the coloration. They are not dusky ( I thought natural dye stuff would not be so bright)He also showd me the dye stuff for soaking. Akane(root of tree, red color), Kariyasu(plant, yellow), benibana(flower red), and other plants as Suo, Ukon, Yamamomo, Binroujiand more. About half of these dye materials needs catalyser to help the coloration. After Meiji period, chemical materials have been used but before that, `ash' was used. He said the effect differs according to the trees used to make ash. He is researching ash and by now only certain kinds of trees could work as a catalyser( the trees such as peony, hisakaki, sazanka, ocha, sawarutagi)In olden times there was an occupation `haiya'(ash seller) who makes ash to sell to dyers, ( and actually they were said to be very rich).Takahashi sensei is very interested in making ash and he is planning to stay in the mountains to make ash from trees he can obtain, and sell in an event in May. Ash(hai) are used to refine silk thread, as a glaze of pottery also, and I feel it is a very unique blessing from nature.He showed me one of his work- supreme woven fabric(tsumugi) called Ushikubi tsumugi dyed with genteel pink color. It had butterfly and flower motif with such subtle colors dyed with Yuzen technique(Itome Yuzen). He made is as a scarf and I fell in love with a first sight. The silk thread is Japanese silk and Ushikubi tsumugi is a finest kind of tsumugi(woven fabric), it is dyed with the same dye stuff from Edo period , using the same technique from Edo period. The scarf is just like a gift from Edo period. He offerd this scarf for our Tour J Artisan website, so I will be showing the photos soon.He said he can make about 10 scarves -- we would like to ask your idea again just as we did last time with Tsuzure bag designs. We would like to show you the examples of designs and we will be very happy if you could let us know which design you like.We are looking forward to offering Takahashi san's silk scarves in the near future.
*The Tsume tsuzure bags will be finished in the end of March or the beginning of April.(we cannot wait to show you!)
We are adding obi, karinui, bolts and tea ceremony set today. We hope you have sometime to check our new arrivals!
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

No 133


Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.133.I visited an atelier of a dyer, Mr Yasuhiro Takahashi on Saturday. As I mentioned in my last newsletter, he has been a dyer nearly 40 years and from ten years ago, he is doing a project of restoring and re-creating of dyed fabrics from Edo period and he is one of the most famous expert of recent dyeing field in Japan. He lookes like a big bear but he is a very quiet man-I noticed his finger tips are all dyed also which can tell his work.I knew him from ten years ago and I felt so honored to meet him again - this time I could meet him to work together. I was too happy and bombard him withquestions! (Thank you very much Takahashi san)
Generally, it is considered that chemical dye stuff is used after Meiji period(1868-1912), but actually it was started in the end of Edo bakufu-government of Edo. The colors which did not exist were done by chemical stuff, so it may sound strange but supreme items of that era often has chemical dyed stuff used(because the chemical dye stuff was very expensive)It reminded me of Shobo banten(Fireman's jacket ) from Edo period, which had very strong purple color so it was the reason.Takahashi san said dye stuff have been basically the same going back to the time of Nara period(Nara period 714-784). Dating the things from that era is quite difficult by seeing the dye stuff or colors and rather designs and the fabric can be a better clue.Regarding dye stuff. it can be 2 major kinds. Just as Yuzen technique, use dark colors applied by brush(fude) or just as Ai dyeing, soaking into Ai many times-one time soaking can only made very light color)The former dyeing(Yuzen) is invented by Miyazaki Yuzensai in early Edo. According to this technique, all colors are said to be made by four basic dye stuff.red- nama enji(cochineal insect )yellow- syou(tree sap )blue- airou (indigo)black-kuro (Japanese ink)
The shading of three primary colors seemed to have produeced all colors. To fix the colors, `gojiru'(juice made by grating soya bean )is added.Takahashi san showed me a part of his collection from Edo period. How gorgeous and genteel the colors on the kimono! I was fascinated by the coloration. They are not dusky ( I thought natural dye stuff would not be so bright)He also showd me the dye stuff for soaking. Akane(root of tree, red color), Kariyasu(plant, yellow), benibana(flower red), and other plants as Suo, Ukon, Yamamomo, Binroujiand more. About half of these dye materials needs catalyser to help the coloration. After Meiji period, chemical materials have been used but before that, `ash' was used. He said the effect differs according to the trees used to make ash. He is researching ash and by now only certain kinds of trees could work as a catalyser( the trees such as peony, hisakaki, sazanka, ocha, sawarutagi)In olden times there was an occupation `haiya'(ash seller) who makes ash to sell to dyers, ( and actually they were said to be very rich).Takahashi sensei is very interested in making ash and he is planning to stay in the mountains to make ash from trees he can obtain, and sell in an event in May. Ash(hai) are used to refine silk thread, as a glaze of pottery also, and I feel it is a very unique blessing from nature.He showed me one of his work- supreme woven fabric(tsumugi) called Ushikubi tsumugi dyed with genteel pink color. It had butterfly and flower motif with such subtle colors dyed with Yuzen technique(Itome Yuzen). He made is as a scarf and I fell in love with a first sight. The silk thread is Japanese silk and Ushikubi tsumugi is a finest kind of tsumugi(woven fabric), it is dyed with the same dye stuff from Edo period , using the same technique from Edo period. The scarf is just like a gift from Edo period. He offerd this scarf for our Tour J Artisan website, so I will be showing the photos soon.He said he can make about 10 scarves -- we would like to ask your idea again just as we did last time with Tsuzure bag designs. We would like to show you the examples of designs and we will be very happy if you could let us know which design you like.We are looking forward to offering Takahashi san's silk scarves in the near future.
*The Tsume tsuzure bags will be finished in the end of March or the beginning of April.(we cannot wait to show you!)
We are adding obi, karinui, bolts and tea ceremony set today. We hope you have sometime to check our new arrivals!
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

No 132


Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.132.These two days we attended two auctions in Kyoto. Recently at most kimono auctions antique kimono and fabrics are rare, but yesterday's auction offers only antique items. Almost all major antique kimono dealers attend, and tactics full of wiles and tricks are done on the every fabrics and kimono. Approx 15 members sit around a kimono, and they say jokes and comments about every offered items. They are all our seniors, and all of them look as 'tanuki'(raccoon dog). In Japan tanuki is considered to deceive human. If a kimono some members really want, they say and do something to try to reduce the other members' bidding prices. Most ordinary technique is 'hai-wo-maku'(scatter ashes), which means 'point out the defects around.' Members point out stains and tears ( or sometimes the chemical dyestuff, which tell us its age ) also by kindness, but a member point out most loudly often bids highest price and win.I also try to scatter good ashes, but often I am said, 'Wada-kun is scattering ashes now!'I seem to be too honest and awkward to scatter ashes with sophisticated wa as other senior members do.
By the way there are some clues to know the age of textile and kimono. Difference of dyestuff - chemical or natural, is one of the important points. Before Edo period ( before 1867 ) all dyestuffs were from plants. In Meiji period(1868-1912) chemical dyestuffs were imported, dyers became to be able to dye with vivid colors. Chemical ai ( chemical indigo ) was also imported in Meiji period, and dyeing with natural dyestuff was missing. Colors dyed with natural dyestuffs are soft and delicate, and mixing the dyestuffs makes more sophisticated colors. Also today dyeing with natural dyestuff 'Kusaki Zome'( plant dyeing ) are done, by the dyers who want to get more 'natural colors'. But philatelists of antique dyeing say there are difference between antique natural dyeing and modern Kusaki Zome.
As next artisan of 'Tour J Artisan', we will visit a famous dyer 'Yasuhiro Takahashi' this week end. He is philatelist of antique dyeing, and he is trying to restore antique dyeing with studying antique documents. He dyes with same techniques and materials as antique documents, and come to know the difference from the modern natural dyeing. I got to know him more than 10 years ago, when I was a sales promotion manager in a department store. He was a very calm person, and his fingers and nails were stained with dyestuffs. He said he was 'some-shokunin' - dyeing artisan. His works - kosode dyed with antique technique was supreme, but it took long time for us to reach and be able to recognize his work level. For our 'Tour J Artisan', we were looking for a dyer, who dyes scarves with natural ai and other traditional natural dyeing works. And at a sudden I remind him, and looked for his name card and called him. He said he was making scarves now, and could dye with other natural(and really traditional) dyeing technique for our customers.We are very very happy to introduce his scarves and his works, and his knowledge about antique dyeing technique. What a wonderful thing we can offer you scarves which are dyed with genuine-antique-kimono technique and dyestuffs!
Bizen ware offering week ends. We will keep several items in our stocks, and send back the rest. Thank you very much for some orders to Wakimoto san's fantastic works.
Today we will list furisode, kimono, yukata, antique items and bolts. We are very happy if you could check them. Have a wonderful Sunday! 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