A Padded Hanten: Beautiful Zanshi ori Lining

mid twentieth century
35" x 46", 89 cm x 117 cm
shoulder to hem x sleeve tip to sleeve tip

This is a well-filled, cotton padded hanten or jacket which is shown inside-out to highlight the beautiful lining of indigo dyed zanshi ori cloth. 

Zanshi ori, is cloth woven from threads either leftover from home production of yarn making, or from broken threads that were purchased from local commercial weavers.  Usually the weft is fed with these random threads while generally the warp is regulated producing an irregular horizontal 'striping'; if home threads are used, knotted slubs can often be seen.

And by looking at the zanshi ori seen on this garment you can see that the weft is fed in a completely random manner as the striping seen on the cloth is completely irregular and with no regard for any finished look. This quality is what makes the best zanshi ori.

There are photos of the proper exterior cloth of the coat which is a slubby burgundy and yellow plaid.

This jacket seems not to have been worn. It is a bit stiff for that reason and were it to be worn now please know that the sleeve would no doubt need modification as the armholes near what would be the wrist area are narrow.

Beautiful to display or to inspire this is a wonderful old garment from traditional Japan.