2017-10-27

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.718

Dear Newsletter readers,

Hello, this is Mari.
Some of you may wear kimono for Halloween, right?
Enjoy your trick or treat in Kimono!

On the other day, I visited Keisuke Serizawa Museum in Shizuoka. Mr. Keisuke

Serizawa (1895-1984) was a dyeing artisan who was designated as a Living National

Treasure by the Japanese government for his "KATAZOME" stencil dyeing technique.

Ichiro has showed us a book of his works a couple of years ago. I was fascinated

by his tasteful "KATAZOME" works. I loved the vivid color, dynamic layout,

detailed pattern, and so on. Ever since then, I always wanted to see his works in

person.

This time, I finally made it.
Keisuke Serizawa Museum Website

http://www.seribi.jp/index.html

The great thing about his works is that they are made for practical purpose. When

I visited there, "Noren" (a kind of curtain) exhibision was held. Many of the

"Noren" were donated by the original owners like a local Kimono shop, a noodle

restaurant and common households.

Noren exhibition

http://www.seribi.jp/exhibition.html

http://www.seribi.jp/110norenPDF.pdf

As you see, his works are very unique and impressive. He dyed kimono and obi

fabrics, too. His works have been appreciated as art. At the same time, they are

all practical, and really used in daily lives of ordinaly people.

http://www.seribi.jp/sakuhin-shouwa20.html

http://www.seribi.jp/sakuhin-shouwa30.html

http://www.seribi.jp/sakuhin-shouwa40.html

http://www.seribi.jp/sakuhin-shouwa50.html

We can still buy items of he designed like "Tenugui"(Japanese hand towel),

"Furoshiki"(wrapping cloth) and "Noren" etc. That is the great thing about

"Katazome"(stencil-dyed). As long as there are stencil papers he designed, we can

dye things with them.

There is his house next to the museum. It is opened to the public only on Sundays

and public holidays. I loved his house, too! It is a very simple, old style

Japanese wooden house with tasteful and minimal furnitures and folk craft. He said

"My house is ordinary like a farmer, and healthy like a farmer." The words

represent his house and his philosophy very well. I want to live in the house like

that one day.

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Although Mr. Serizawa's works are too rare to find now a days, we still have very

tasteful "Katazome"(stencil-dyed) items. Enjoy!
<Kimono>

www.ichiroya.com

<Obi>

www.ichiroya.com

2017-10-20

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.717

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Konnichiwa everyone! Ogenki desuka? This is Yoko from Ichiroya.
Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

OK everyone!!, this is the newsletter you have been waiting for!!
Here I go, today's topic is about (drums.......) Cosplay!!!!! I know many of you who shops at Ichiroya enjoy Cosplay or have interests in Manga/Anime/Game. Just past week, there was a Cosplay event in Tokyo, and our staff Natsumi attended the event cosplaying in a character from her favorite Manga.

Can you tell what character she is? from which Manga? If you know, you are an expert!!!

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In case you are not familiar with Anime/Mange/Game, the top photo is Souza Samonji from Token-Ranbu, and the above photo is Ryu from Breath of Fire. The photos look as if they just came out of Manga!!! Amazing!

http://touken-hanamaru.jp/

http://www.bof6.jp/pc/index.html

About 30 cosplayers attended this event, but they can put together double the amount on the weekend, Natsumi said.
Apparently, there are many Cosplay events held in Osaka throughout the year too, and Natsumi said the biggest one in Osaka is called 'Nippombashi Street Festa'. Have you heard of it?

http://nippombashi.jp/festa/2017/

Millions of people from all over the world attend this special event, cosplaying in their favorite characters.
Natsumi thinks popular character among Gaikokujn maybe from One Piece and Dragon Ball Manga.
As you can see Natsumi's cosplay is so perfect! that she draws much attention by other cosplayers, and she is often asked for a handshake or a photo shoot!! Sugoi!

At Ichiroya, Natsumi is a very reserved, charming, and hard working employee who handles our Amazon Japan shop.
She can handle listing hundreds of items on Amazon without a single drop of sweat!
She normally dresses in casual clothing like jeans and hoodie at work, but when it comes to Cosplay, she can be very dramatic and bold!!!
Can you tell these are the same person???

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Why not dress in unique Kimono for Halloween to start!!??

Men's

Kimono and Happi

www.ichiroya.com

belts

www.ichiroya.com

Women's

Meisen

www.ichiroya.com

Set of cords

www.ichiroya.com

You do not need to look perfect!
Enjoy cosplay! and mix matching.

It is a beautiful Autumn in Japan now, and rice is being harvested this month in our area.
Rice patties near my house have golden rice stalks and they are probably being harvested this weekend, so I quickly took some photos of them.
Aren't they beautiful?

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Thanks you so much for your attention and have a lovely weekend!

2017-10-15

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.716

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Dear Ichiroya newsletter readers,

Hello! This is Nagisa writing again. Just a month ago, I took a part in a birthday party at a cafe in Kyoto. That was Teruko Sensei's one. She is a minister, and a college teacher. I met her at the college, and I took some of her classes about care work and psychology. Every her class was always unique and fun! She is also powerful and very humorous. So, there were lots of fans around her, including me. She sometimes took me and other students out for dinner such as Sushi, Yakitori, and buffet-style restaurant, even after we've graduated. By the way, how many people do you think were coming to the party? The answer is... over 300 people! Can you believe it? Over 300 people came to the party to say to "Happy Birthday!" to her! I realized strongly that she is adored by everyone. Also, I spent really good time, and I'm so happy to see her and old friends after a long absence. I want her to live for a long time!

Here is the photo I'd taken with Teruko Sensei and my friends at the party. When I ask them to use this photo for the newsletter, 3 of 4 said to me "Sure!" However, one of them said that "OK, but please retouch it beautifully!" So, I did it just a little bit. haha

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After the party, I went to Nijo Castle, one of the famous world heritages in Kyoto. It was my second time to visit there. First time, I visited there at night to see 'Art Aquarium'. Thousands of goldfishes were displayed and illuminated fantastically in the garden.

www2.city.kyoto.lg.jp

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yayayamamamama | Flickr

Nijo Castle is the place where is the beginning and ending of Edo period. It was built in 1603 by Ieyasu Tokugawa, the first shogun of Tokugawa shogunate. And the Tokugawa shogunate lasted for 15th generation, about 260 years. Yoshinobu Tokugawa, the last shogun, returned political power back to the Emperor at Ninomaru Palace in Nijo Castle, and the historical event is called 'Taisei Hokan'. This year marks the 150th anniversary of 'Taisei Hokan'. This time, I saw the inside Ninomaru Palace. It is decorated so luxuriously with paintings and relieves on it 'Fusuma'(sliding partition), 'Ranma'(transom window), and ceiling. Lots of traditional Japanese motifs such as seasonal flowers, birds, and animals, can be seen everywhere. Unfortunately, photography is prohibited at the Palace. So, I highly recommend you to go there, and to see them with your own eyes! I want you to walk on the nightingale corridor, too! You can also see the main room which 'Taisei Hokan' has taken place. By the way, my friend said, "It gives me a sense of history." Why don't you feel the history wearing Kyoto design Kimono or Obi?

<< Kimono >>

www.ichiroya.com

<< Obi >

www.ichiroya.com

2017-10-06

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.715

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Hello, This is Mitsue writing. How are you doing? Are you enjoying kimono life?

Well, do you have THINGS TO DO list of your private life? I have a list of 10 things to do for this decade. Visiting 'Kaze no Bon' is one of them, and it finally realized last month.
'Kaze no Bon' is a Japanese festival held every year from September 1 to 3 in Yatsuo city, Toyama prefecture. It literally means "Bon Dance of the Wind."
This festival, having a history of about 300 years, is recently becoming a popular tourist attraction. Originally it was held in order to appease typhoons and allow for a bountiful harvest of rice.

http://visit-toyama.com/festivals/000036.html

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What makes this festival so unique is that it is held at night. The streets are decorated with paper lanterns, and long rows of young men and women walk and dance to the music. This music played with traditional instrument called kokyu, shamisen and shakuhachi are so melancholic. Aged men and women's voice accompanies to the music. They are all wearing Yukata with black obi.
Dancer's faces are covered by low-brimmed straw hats to hide them from the anger of God of typhoon.
One more special feature of the dancers is that they are all unmarried of under 25 years old!

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The old-fashioned streets and winding stairs of the small town make the festival quite fascinating, and the dark atmosphere takes us to a mysterious world of the ancient. Well, I had good time enjoying music and dance, except the long ride of bus. It took about 7 hours from Osaka, and my friend was sleeping all the way. When the bus stopped at the rest area, she woke up and had some snacks and went back to sleep again! So she gained 2 kg during these 2 days. Yes, this is just one of things which often happens. Ha ha ha.....Well, how is your THINGS TO Do list going well?
Have you ever visited Japanese traditional festival? We have some pieces with traditional festival design. Please enjoy having a look! Thank you for reading.

Nagoya obi

This obi has the motif of Owara Kaze no Bon! So impressive and pretty!

fukuro obi

Komon kimono

Houmongi kimono

2017-10-01

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.714

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Hi! This is Nanae from Ichiroya.
We had a typhoon two weeks ago, and it became the first typhoon in recorded history to hit four main islands of Japan. When it hit Kyusyu island, it was really strong storm with pouring so I prepared for it. The typhoon without rain did no harm in Tondabayashi city. My friend said her laundry dried. I don’t know why she hung her laundry out in such a day…

Leaving that aside, I visited Guam with my friends in order to escape from summer in Japan.
Guam is one of five American territories. Located in the western Pacific Ocean and it is the largest island in Micronesia. The weather is generally very warm with little seasonal temperature variation. The mean high temperature is 86℉ (30℃) and mean low is 76℉ (24℃). The relative humidity commonly exceeds 84 percent at night throughout the year. Wearing yukata is nice to this climate.
Yes! It was hotter and more humid. Yeah I know it was a good idea. Lol

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We did snorkeling at Fish Eye Marine Park this time. It is one of the famous and popular dive spots in Guam. There are some holes, 30feet (10m) water, and become the natural coral gardens. We can see an abundance of fishes under the calm sea.
We got fresh squids to feed the fish before entering the water.
We were warned not to put our hands into the water holding the fresh squid otherwise the fish would bite our hands. We all made sure and got it!

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We tore the squids into small pieces and spread them in the water. Soon we saw plenty of fishes hastily swimming towards the food. We were told to spread the fish food a distance away from us if we were too frightened by the school of fish.
I was so excited because turtles and many fishes came closer as in the picture.
I could see plenty of beautiful and colorful fishes and I totally forgot I was holding a squid.
“Ouch!” A spear liked fish bit my hand and took the squid!
Yes, I raised my bleeding hand and screamed “bitten!!!” with the snorkel still in my mouth.
Why? All my friends, even the lifeguard laughed at me!!

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The cut smarts from the sea water …. One lifeguard came up with me after we took shower and he gave me some Band-Aid. He was so nice he put one on my hand!
Another lifeguard said to me, “you will be OK. He is a doctor.”
I replied, “Oh really?! He said he is a stripper.”…….:p
We laughed and danced like strippers. We surely got six-pack at the moment.

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Photogenic!!!!
Sea creatures in the water are scary.

Today’s keyword ‘fish’.

www.ichiroya.com

<obi>

www.ichiroya.com

<bolt>

www.ichiroya.com

2017-09-18

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.712

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Dear Newsletter readers,

Konnichiwa, this is Mari writing this week' s newsletter.

It is getting cooler and cooler in Osaka.
Fall is just around the corner. I washed my summer kimono and yukata, then stored them for next summer. It is time to wear my white hitoe(not lined) Oshima which I washed at home. Do you remember my last article? I'm so happy to wear it again :-)

Sometimes, our items are introduced on kimono magazines, or used as costumes in TV dramas. This fall, our kimono and obi are introduced on the magazine called "Kimono Salon", one of the most influential kimono magazines in Japan. The top image is the cover page of the magazine. The articles are about latest kimono fashion, coordinate tips, introduction of kimono textile production areas and so on. All the articles are very interesting and educational. I learn a lot from this kind of kimono magazine.

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We are proud of our items which look great on those pages!
We get those offers through kimono stylists. They specialize kimono styling for prints and films. Some of our customers are top kimono stylists in Japan. They work for major studios, TV stations, advertising agencies and publishers.

One of them was working on a popular TV drama series called
"Kurokawa no Techo"(The black leather notebook). The heroine of the drama is a lady of a high-end hostess-bar in Ginza, a popular upscale shopping area of Tokyo. Many of ladies who works at high-end hostess-bars wear gorgeous kimono. So does she.
I watched the drama every week with high interest in her kimono. You can see some of her images on the drama's website which introduce her wardrobe every week.

http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/kurokawanotecho/fashion/0003/

On the page, the kimono stylist explains the reasons why she choose the kimono, obi and other props such as bag, parasol and so on. It is very interesting to know how she came up with those kimono coordinate for each occasion. She even changes the way to dress the heroine for each scene. For night time, the collar is a little bit wide opened, and the zori sandals are high heel to be look gorgeous. For day time, the collar is tightly closed, and the zori sandals are lower to be look neat.

When the heroine visited one of her customers to celebrate opening his new office, she wore the refreshing light blue transparent summer Houmongi Kimono with wave pattern. Actually, wave is an auspicious pattern which means "eternal" or "get on track(wave)" which is good for our business and life. She encourages her customer with her kimono. To enphasize the blue kimono, she wore white obi, obiage and obijime. Even her bag and parasol were all white.
It is always good to have some kind of meaning or back ground story of our kimono coordinate. We are all kimono stylist for ourselves!

I was inspired by the drama so much!
I'm in mood of checking gorgeous Houmongi Kimono and Fukuro Obi now. They are eye candies!

Gorgeous Houmongi Kimono

www.ichiroya.com

Gorgeous Obi

www.ichiroya.com

I have to find a party or something to wear those gorgeous kimono to first!

2017-09-08

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.711

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Hello everyone, Ogenki desuka? This is Yoko writing this week's newsletter.
The top photo was taken on my way home from work last week. It was a beautiful autumn sun set, I could not resist.
By the way the big house in the photo is not mine. hahaha

August is over, and my children had returned to school. (finally!!, yokatta..)
We have three semesters, and second semester starts on first of September in most schools.
Children are normally very tired on their first day back to school from staying up too late in summer or finishing homework at the last minute without any sleeps.
I know my son finished his homework, but I am not sure if my daughter even started her homework. I will try to keep calm... sigh.....

Days are getting shorter, and season is slowly shifting to Autumn. Kaki persimmons in my garden is turning colors.
Morning breeze is a bit chiller now and soon, we start to smell the Autumn in the air, I don't know how to describe it, but air smells differently in each season. Personally, I love the summer air. I love the smell of green leaves with warmth from the sun.
It is always a bit sad and nostalgic to feel(smell?) the summer end.
See you next year Summer! Mata rainen aimasho!

Well, in this news letter, I would like to tell you more about our staff at Ichiroya.
Today, I would like to tell you about Mitsue and Nagisa. You must have seen their names in descriptions?
They both write descriptions in both English and Japanese. Here is a photo of Nagisa and Mitsue.

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Mitsue sits at far left corner from my desk and keeps quiet at most of the time, but when we start talking, I can tell she has information flowing in many directions.
But despite her quiet and sophisticated character, my eyes popped out when she told me that she used to take belly dance lessons!!
Oh! She also told me that she takes Zumba, yoga, and aerobics lessons!!! She is such an active and athletic person!!!
A deep bow to a lady with education and talents!!

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Nagisa sits in front of Mitsue. Nagisa loves to read. I see her reading a novel during breaks. She is shy and very quiet like Mitsue, but she keeps an eye out for everything. She knows what is lacking and what is needed and don't hesitate to share her opinion when asked.
But you know every girl has a soft spot right? She is in LOVE with American football!!!
Hope you read her newsletter about going to meet Tom Brady of New England Patriots all the way to Tokyo!!? (we are in Osaka!)
She is dedicated to work and rarely takes a day off, but you know the ONLY day she demands for an off??? Yeah, you are right!!!! Super Bowl!!!!

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Speaking of sports, you can tell what was a popular sport when Kimono was made from some of the motifs on Kimono.
Have you noticed some kimono has unique sports motifs???

Tennis and ski

Men's Kimono #326276 Kimono Flea Market Ichiroya

Baseball

Men's Kimono #361454 Kimono Flea Market Ichiroya

Baseball

Men's Kimono #359764 Kimono Flea Market Ichiroya

Baseball

Men's Kimono #361067 Kimono Flea Market Ichiroya

Ballet

Obi #379780 Kimono Flea Market Ichiroya

Sumo!

Men's Kimono #380482 Kimono Flea Market Ichiroya

Ichiroya original brand Kimonotte collar with Tennis and Ski motifs.
You can add a retro accent to your neckline.

Kimonotte Tennis

Accessories #363622 Kimono Flea Market Ichiroya

Kimonotte Ski

Accessories #363625 Kimono Flea Market Ichiroya

Our listing hour starts at about 5:45am, hope you find unique and interesting items in new arrivals!
itsumo arigato gozaimasu for reading our newsletters.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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元気が出る海外の最新トピックや、ウジウジ考えたこととか、たまに着物のこと！

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.718

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.717

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.716

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.715

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.714

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.712

Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.711