An Indigo Dyed Cotton Drawstring Bag: Komebukuro

mid twentieth century
10" x 7" x 7", 25.4 cm x 17.75 cm x 17.75 cm

This kind of piece-constructed, drawstring bag is 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.

This seemingly unused one is hand stitched of about 9 pieces of mainly indigo dyed cotton of various types, most notably several versions of kasuri. The bag closes with a drawstring which seems original to the bag which is looped through hand made loops.

The overall effect is handsome and the choice of cloth used to create this komebukuro is well-selected.

A really lovely komebukuro of good size.