A Two Process Han Juban: Itajime Shibori and Katazome

early to mid twentieth century
27 1/2" x 23 1/2", 70 cm x 60 cm

This beauty is a hand stitched, indigo dyed cotton han juban or half-under kimono.

It is dyed in two techniques: the dark background is the itajime shibori method done on blue-on-blue and shows a network of interlocking triangles that form hexagons if you look at them a certain way.  On top of this is a large scale pattern done in stencil resist dye called katazome and the design is of clove buds, a treasured item in historical Japan. 

The garment is of a type that would have been worn under a kimono in Japan--and often we see han juban dyed in the itajime method depicted in wide variation.

Most likely this han juban would have had sleeves--it was custom to remove and replace the sleeves of a garment over its lifetime which is why it makes sense that the sleeves to this on are missing.

A beautiful, shibori dyed garment with the unusual aspect of the katazome design integrated into the dyeing process, this is a visually striking, old traditional garment in good, used condition and with still-rich color.

Recommended.