Kimono!

Chris and I were walking home from the station on the first  evening and passed a little shopfront with a rack of kimonos out front. Some of these beauties were marked 2000 yen! About $19 USD. I found a gorgeous one. A black silk summerweight jacket style. Chris was able to translate what the shopkeeper said. The kimono was vintage and about 30-40 years old. But honestly, looking at the farbic, it seemed older to me. It had never been worn and still had the basting threads in the sleeve-- a sure sign that it was never used. Apparently she scours the marketplaces looking for vintage kimono in perfect condition. I had to buy it and decided to wear it as a jacket over my dress the next day. It's cool and comfortable and I am so happy with this purchase!

Well lo and behold, as I came to learn, one vintage kimono is not enough. Once again, on our way home from the station, we stopped at the shop. This time I found another silk kimono, a winterweight one, that the shopkeeper said was about 50 years old. Again, only 2000 yen so I bought it!!!

Here's a kind of moody shot I did with the selfie stick haha.

But that is not the end of the story. As we were there looking at kimono, a  set of tourists came in. Christopher started conversing with the guy, who was from Taiwan. At the same time, the shopkeeper showed Chris a gorgeous men's kimono jacket that she said was over 50 years old. Silk of course. He decided to buy it!

We were all gawking at this really gorgeous masterpiece, a kimono that was more than 100 years old, and priced at 8500. We left thinking we would love to have that piece... but she only took cash. As we walked we kept thinking about that kimono. It looked like a museum piece to me! Then I thought, heck I want it... so we literally raced across the street, to the other side of the station where the bank ATMs were. We withdrew cash and then raced back to try to reach her before she closed at 10. We got there about two minutes after and she said the Taiwanese guy had asked her to hold the pieces and he would be back tomorrow. She showed me some other pieces, but none would do. So she told Chris, "I'm going to do something bad, it will be our secret! I will have to tell him I made a mistake and sold it by accident!" So she sold us the museum kimono! On the way out, i saw another gorgeous silk one, a long one!!!!! And Christopher was like, Mother NO.... No more! As he dragged me away.... my fingermarks still showing on the pavement!!!

A couple of endnotes. I was at the famous Fushimi shrine and saw more vintage kimono for sale. Nothing like the silk dealer's stash. This one was cotton. It also had the basting on it. and was 2000 yen as well! I've been using it as a bathrobe and it's perfect. Will be great for Hawaii.

Meanwhile, we got Christopher's kimono home and noticed on the inside it had a gorgeous painting! It was like a bonus!

I never thought I'd be leaving Japan with FOUR silk kimono... all at least 40 years old, and one 100 years old!

These photos of Christopher's kimono. Look at the inside. Again... never used or worn. The shopkeeper explained to Christopher that she has a special dealer's license to source these from wholesale markets. She scours Kyoto and Osaka looking for them. She doesn't know their origins but she said many many kimono were made, never worn and stored away. They went out of fashion and were forgotten about. I think they will start to become more popular. 

Christopher said he wasn't sure if it looked okay with street clothes. He thought my look was OFF. He said, "I've never seen anyone wear them as a jacket with street clothes. 

And I replied, "You have now!"