conversations
Ichiroya has graciously allowed me to use
images from their site to illustrate my ramblings. This is not
a financial arrangement I have made - I simply believe them to
be wonderful people with whom I enjoy doing business, and wish
to support their endeavors. Ichiroya is a web based treasure
trove of Japanese textiles, antiques, and information. If you
haven't visited them in the past, just click on the icon to the
left! Or, click on any of the images below to be taken directly
to their page for more images and information.
In this, the second
installment, I've decided to have hagoromo follow the phoenix as a topic for a
simple reason - they are often easily confused. Hagoromo
literally means robe of feathers: ha (hane) means feather(s) and koromo means robe. Sanseido's WebDictionary defines it as “A
robe made of feathers worn by heavenly beings to fly”.
This robe of feathers usually has a collar
at the neck from which the feathers flow, much like a
traditional Japanese straw rain coat in structure.
This portion of a futon
cover is especially interesting not only because of the motif,
but due to the combination of dye techniques used
The basic story is a very old
one and is claimed by several regions of Japan.
Best known is the Hagoromo of
Miho-no-matsubara in Shizuoka Prefecture.This version has been
made famous through the Noh Theater play by the same name.
The gist of the story is that
a fisherman finds a set of beautiful wings hung from the
branches of an ancient pine tree. As he marvels at it's
splendor, a heavenly being approaches him and asks that he
return the robe or she'll never be able to return whence she
came. In gratitude she dons the robe and dances in reward
bestowing her blessings upon the region.
This is a rather humorous
young girl’s kimono. The hagoromo seems to have taken on a life of it’s
own and is flying independantly of any angelic guidance! In
contrast to the stencil dyed piece above, this garment has been
dyed using a process called tsutsugaki, in which the rice paste is applied with a
cone (much like writing “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” on a
cake). Notice the pine trees as a key element of the design.
