A Well Made Komebukuro: Drawstring Bag of Subtly Toned Cotton Scraps

late nineteenth, early twentieth century
9 1/2" x 8" x 8", 24 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm

This is a good example of a piece-constructed, drawstring bag. This type 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 placed in a manner so as to create a celebratory textile that will lend a festive air to the happy event.

There are about a dozen separate pieces of old, subtly patterned cottons in deep, muted color tones that compose the bag. The drawstring seems original to the bag and all the loops that hold the drawstring are intact.

A really beautiful bag for its age and for the good, worn quality of its cottons, this bag recalls every day life in old Japan.