Men’s black silk haori with five crests, painted lining
The Sleeping Pavilion
220 €
Only one in stock
Each kimono is bought one at a time in Japan; we will not have another. These are authentic vintage Japanese kimono: each one has been worn, then carefully kept, before it came this far. It is not new, and that is where its value lies. The marks of time — the patina, the light wear — are photographed and described; they are part of the piece.
Description
Outside, a deep black and five small white crests: two on the chest, two on the backs of the sleeves, one between the shoulders. Five crests is the most formal degree of Japanese dress — the one worn for ceremonies.
Inside, something else entirely.
The lining opens onto a landscape: a tiered pavilion among pines, waves drawn in fine line, a panel of tortoiseshell pattern, a casket tied with a red cord. And, by the water, a few lines of poetry written by hand.
This is the rule of Japanese men’s dress: austere outside, free inside. What you loved, you wore against yourself — and opened only for whom you chose.
Worn open over dark clothes, the landscape shows with every movement.
Its story
The characters brushed on the lining read:
布団着て 寝たる姿や 東山
Futon kite / netaru sugata ya / Higashiyama
"Under a quilt, like someone lying asleep — the Eastern Hills"
It is a haiku by Hattori Ransetsu (1654–1707), a disciple of Bashō. He is looking at the Higashiyama hills east of Kyoto, so soft and rounded that they look like a sleeper under his blanket. That is where this piece takes its name: the Sleeping Pavilion.
The rest of the lining adds two wishes. The casket tied with a red cord recalls a kaioke, the shell box of a bride’s trousseau: each shell fits only its own other half, and it became the image of fidelity. The tortoiseshell pattern (kikkō) speaks of long life — in Japan, the tortoise lives ten thousand years.
A black haori with five crests is the dress of great ceremonies, weddings included. One can imagine a man wearing it on that day, very serious on the outside — and, against him, a peaceful landscape, a poem that smiles, and the wish for a union that lasts.
Details
- Length
- 90 cm / 35.4"
- Yuki (back to cuff)
- 62 cm / 24.4" — cuff-to-cuff span 124 cm / 48.8"
- Sleeve
- 46 cm long, 31 cm wide
- Body width
- 56.5 cm / 22.2"
- Recommended height
- Cut for a man of about 165–180 cm (5'5"–5'11"). Worn open: no hip constraint
- Material
- Silk. Lining (haura) in painted silk.
- Motif
- Pavilion among pines, waves, tortoiseshell pattern, casket with red cord, calligraphed poem
- Crests
- Five (itsutsu-mon) — three scales in a circle
- Condition
- First-grade piece: no stain or tear found on inspection
- Worn
- Open, as a short jacket
Shipping
Sent from France, carefully folded and wrapped in Japanese paper. Times and rates are set out in the terms of sale. Returns accepted within fourteen days, except for pieces altered to measure.
Care
Dry clean only. The lining is painted: never rub, never spot-clean with water. Store flat or on a hanger, away from light.