What’s In a Kimono? Part 9
On The Second Day Of Fun I present... a new kimono! The last time I presented a kimono it was karyūkai related in that it was a geiko’s hikizuri. This one is also karyūkai related, but in a slightly different way.
Name: Karyūkai (花柳界) - The Flower and Willow World Type: Kurotomesode (黒留袖) Time Period: Heisei Period (1989 - 2019) Condition: Excellent - Like New Material: Silk Motifs: Kyoto Scene With Maiko Execution and Techniques: Yuzen Value: $100 USD When I saw this for sale I knew I had to have it as it’s just so fitting to my interests and so unique to boot! I can honestly say in all my years of buying, selling, and researching kimono I had never come across one with maiko on it! You can occasionally find some obi, but kimono with maiko are extremely rare. Whoever designed or commissioned this kimono has specific knowledge of the karyūkai, with Gion Kobu in particular, as you can make out the noren of the Ichiriki down at the bottom. Overall it depicts the karyūkai at the height of its beauty in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom and the maiko are busy travelling from one ochaya to the next (or, in this case, possibly slowing down to take in the blossoms themselves). All of it is delicately rendered in the Kyō Yuzen style of painting. This piece is truly meant to be appreciated up close not only for its subject matter, but for the addition of copious amounts of gold paint that outline nearly everything on the kimono!
Even though it’s rare, it’s not very valuable as kurotomesode are among the least valuable types of kimono due to their overall plainness and the very limited times that you can wear them. This is why kurotomesode are often remade into other garments, such as dresses or skirts. I plan on keeping this one as is though ^^
