#takegaki

Joyful takegaki (bamboo fences) bingata kimono, paired with a Hinamatsuri dolls obi.

Essential Japanese Seasonal Decorations - Autumn

Seasonality: Early Autumn/ August

Japanese Name: Takegaki/ Asagao/ Kingyo/ Kingyo-sukui

English Name: Bamboo fence/ Morning Glory/ Goldfish/ Goldfish scooping

     Takegaki (竹垣, bamboo fence) are fences that have been used extensively in Japanese gardens during the Kamakura period and developed much later than walls. That is surprising – considering the availability and versatility of the materials used. Their functions are manifold: They block views and separate sceneries, are erected as boundaries around the garden, work as windbreaks or screens or emphasize a special element in a garden. 

     Asagao (朝顔, morning glories) is one of the most popular summer plants in Japan, very often depicted in yukata and other summer wafuku items. Their Japanese name translates directly as “beauty in the morning.” The pattern is also known as kengoshi, which usually means the medicinal asagao seeds but can refer to the plant itself. Asagao symbolizes summer, especially during the Edo period. It was a favorite flower among commoners and was extremely popular in the Bunka era (1804-1818 CE). Asagao blooms splendidly, everywhere at once, but only for a short while. 

     Kingyo (金魚, goldfish) were introduced into Japan via China in the 16th century where they were popular and kept only by the aristocracy and samurai. The Japanese set up breeding programs and eventually developed their unique strains of goldfish to be appreciated from the top view. Thereafter, kingyo-sukui (金魚すくい, goldfish scooping) became popular during the Edo period, leading to the sale of goldfish in towns. Goldfish are a particularly beloved summer feature in Japan that will make you feel “coolness” and “healing” with the way it elegantly swims in water on a hot summer’s day. 

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