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

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

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.

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>

<Obi>

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