This is a Nishijin, Nishiki Fukuro obi in Otaiko Gara.
Fukuro Obi is double-layered single sided obi in which two separately woven surfaces and back pieces of cloth are stitched together. This type of obi is typically only worn at weddings or other formal occasions.
Nishijin-ori textiles were developed in the Nishijin area of Kyoto city and has dominated the production of high-quality woven textiles since the fifteenth century. The production of Nishijin textiles is very complex and is specialized in five main areas—designing and creating patterns, producing silk threads, producing tools (including weaving machines), weaving, and final sewing—each executed in a different workshop.
Nishiki is a type of vibrant silk brocade with vivid and luxurious images using various colorful and metallic (mainly gold and silver). Nishiki brocade is mainly produced in the Nishijin area of Kyoto.
Gara refers to the orientation, arrangement, and surface area of the patterns and pertains to a specific trend and obi tying style.
The patterning in the Otaiko gara type is minimal. A few concentrated spots of patterned motif lie on the obi while the rest is left blank. This style was invented during the Edo period (1615-1868) by the female entertainers in Fukugawa, an entertainment district in present-day Tokyo.
Beige fukuro (single-sided) Obi with interwoven gold brushstroke wickerwork patterning with embroidered red, orange, green, white and violet phoenix-peacock hybrid, dragon, clouds, and paulownia leaf motifs arranged in hachiryoumon (eight-petalled, pointed flowers) and hand-drum motifs.
