Obi

Accession Number
2016/2.29

Title
Obi

Artist(s)
Japanese

Artist Nationality
Japanese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
mid- to late-20th century

Medium & Support
silk

Dimensions
160 in x 12 ½ in (406.4 cm x 31.75 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Kazuko Miyake

Subject matter

This is a Summer Nagoya obi in Otaiko gara.

Kotobuki are chinese characters that signify longevity and congratulations.

Ro and Sha textiles, also called usumono, are thin, translucent fabrics used for summer kimonos.

The main difference between Ro and Sha is how they are woven.

Nagoya obi were first produced at the end of the Taisho era, and are shorter than the more formal fukuro and maru obi. A portion of Nagoya obi fabric is folded and stitched in half to make tying easier.

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.



Physical Description

Sheer black Ro summer Obi with eight embroidered silver-beige and various blue modified “Kotobuki”.



Primary Object Classification
Costume and Costume Accessories

Primary Object Type
obi

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
obis
summer (season)

& Author Notes

All Rights Reserved