A Large Komebukuro: Indigo Kasuri Cottons

This lovely and fairly large drawstring bag is hand sewn from 12 pieces of hand loomed Japanese cottons, an assortment of woven stripes, kasuri or ikat, and katazome or stencil resist dyed cloth.  The cotton drawstring seems original to the bag.  The bag is fully lined with a patchwork of orange dyed cotton--very attractive.

This kind of piece-constructed, drawstring bag is often referred to as a komebukuro. 

Komebukuro are bags that were used to bring token offerings of uncooked rice or beans to a temple or shrine festival, the piecing and patching often being thought-out and planned, for festive effect.  

A marvelous bag, it is one that shows a really lovely and good range of hand loomed cottons--it is an object that beautifully recalls the spirit of old Japan.