Monday 19 May 2008

Obi Factory (帯工房)

Today I'm showing my most favarite photos!!
When I see them, I really feel I'm happy to be a Japanese♡



Those photos were taken at an Obi(帯) factory in Kyoto.
I attended a class of Japanese culture for mature people called
'School of Tradition & Future (伝統未来塾)' 
and it took us to this factory.

The factory is called Obi-ya Sutematsu (帯屋捨松) (Sorry, but it's only in Japanese.) meaning Obi shop owned by Sutematsu. Actually Sutematsu was a name of 3rd owner.

By the way, obi is the sach for kimonos.


It's as important as kimono itself when we get dressed.
In a way, the combination or contrass of kimono and obi tells
if you are a smart kimono dresser or not.

But....

 




Aren't they just beautiful???


 


Red color in an obi is not expressed by only 1 kind of red thread,
and it consists of 2 or 3 kinds of red. It reminded me of oil painting.




What do you think?



Still now there are people who spin cocoon into yarn,
and someone dye yarn and it is used to be woven.


Thinking of this quick & fast modern world,
it sounds like very serene & calm procesures.


This lovely tool was used to spin cocoon in old days. ('-'*)

6 comments:

DP said...

Very interesting post and beautiful pictures (and colours!). I love the pic of the old spinning wheel.. it reminds me of the noh play Kurozuka (Adachigahara)!

Mariko said...

>Diego
Thanks for your another comment! Yes, I love those photos & I'm so happy to have had a chance to visit the factory.
So you watched Kurozuka! I'm originally from a prefecture where Adachigahara is.
Nakamura sensei was surprised to hear about you! Are you originally from the UK or Australia? (from your spell of 'clours') ;)

DP said...

Dear Mariko,
actually I am Italian, but I live in the UK at the moment, so yeah, your guess was half right! I visited Nakamura-sensei's house with a friend of mine (a mask carver from Osaka). She has been extremely kind to me, letting me take pictures and showing me a part of her collection. She has a beautiful house, too! Please send her my regards if you see her.
I hope that you are not as the old woman of Kurozuka!

Mariko said...

Diego, thanks for another comment!I forwarded your regards to Nakamura sensei. Yes, I love her house, too.
So my guess was half right! I lived in Nottingham, England for a year so I thought your English was Queen's or Australian. Enjoy the beautiful summer in the UK. :)
P.S. If I'm like a Kurozuka woman or not?? I shall not leave it as you imagine. Ha-ha!

DP said...

Mariko,
I didn't get whether the 'beautiful English summer' was a joke or not... Well, it's fresher than the Japanese one, for sure!!
I also visited Nottingham some years ago, it is a lovely city, indeed! Your English is really good, did you learn it there?
Please keep on posting articles on Japanese traditional arts!

Diego.

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