Japan! Part III

Before I left for Japan, I checked to see if there were any vintage kimono shops in the area where I’d be traveling. Alas, I couldn’t find any. I had hoped there might be one or two, but there were none that I could find. Most vintage kimono shops are further south in Tokyo or Kyoto. So, instead of silks and textiles, this trip would be about scenery, temples, food and shrines. Not a bad thing!

But, I did want to see kimonos. Instead of piles of old and worn, I opted to visit shops with new.

For example. the one pictured below was in a shopping mall. That’s right, next to modern chain stores and food courts was this shop with gorgeous, traditional kimonos.

Towards the back I found some ‘karinui.’ Karinui are kimonos that are basted together so you can see what the design will look like when all the pieces are sewn together. I knew they’d be less expensive because I wouldn’t be paying for the long hours of sewing. I asked, ‘how much?’

The clerk taped on his calculator, and said that he would give me a special price, no sewing, just the fabric. A special deal for me, only $3,500.

I said weakly, in English, though he understood, ‘too much…’

So, alas, no brand new kimonos for me.

Behind a display, store clerks help a customer find the right obi to wear with her new kimono.

The town where we were staying, Kaminoyama, located in the Yamagata prefecture, is known for its production of safflowers. Traditionally Safflowers were used in various ways, medicine, food, but most importantly as a fabric dye.

After harvest, the flowers were dried,

and processed into cakes. These were then transported to Kyoto where they were used to dye the silks brilliant reds, oranges and yellows. Other areas grew safflowers but those from Yamagata were know to be the very best and so were extra valuable. Safflowers from Yamagata were said to be 100 times the value of rice and 10 times the value of gold.

An example below, a beautiful yellow kimono worn by Nami Sato, the proprietress of the Kaminoyama hotel, Koyo, where we stayed. She is standing with her charming mother-in-law. Ms Sato’s beautiful yellow kimono was dyed with safflowers. Can you see the embroidered safflowers up close to her shoulders?

The Koyo hotel has been in the Sato family for several generations. We not only met Ms Sato’s mother-in-law, we were also honored to be introduced to her spry 97 year old grandmother-in-law.

The entrance to the Koyo hotel. Sato means wisteria. Can you see the wisteria flowers on the family crest painted on the wall?

In the early 1600’s Tokugawa Ieyasu [the shogun who united Japan] commanded that the regional rulers must travel every other year to Edo [now Tokyo.] Official routes were established, including one that ran through Kaminoyama.

An old map showing the route to Edo, listed with the various towns, houses, landmarks and distances.

It includes the town of Kaminoyama [below, the larger oval] and its surrounding boarding houses and villages.

The map includes pictures of sights along the ways, including this one of Kaminoyama showing people soaking in hot baths. This area of Japan is long known for its hot springs.

Still today, people come to soak in the hot water, eat fine food and relax.

The entrance to the fantastic Koyo onsen. An onsen is an inn and other facilities built around a natural hot springs.

This view of the entrance shows the family crests with the wisteria flowers. And on the lower right, on the stairs, is a hat decorated with safflowers that the employees wave as you leave.

The beautiful lobby.

Our room. So good.

The other direction. Absolutely perfect.

I mean,…

Looking towards the bath.

The bath, with very, very hot water constantly flowing into the tub. It’s so hot, you must add cold water before you get in. Can you see the minerals and salts that are formed around the tap? This is the real deal, hot water, straight from the earth. Glorious.

It wasn’t just the gorgeous room, the amazing food, the hot bath and the lovely people. There was one more element that, for me, put this hotel over the top. It was the different and extraordinary kimonos Ms. Sato wore every day. They were spectacular. I know enough about kimono to know when one is special. And day after day she had on a different one, one after another after another, they were all beautiful. Such a treat to see.

She explained that when her mother was younger, she had sewn kimonos in Kyoto. Kyoto, of course, is the center of Japanese textiles and kimonos. As you can imagine, her mother had an amazing collection and passed them to Nami to use and wear. What a treat to be able to see them in action, as they were meant to be.

Fantastic!

I know I am gushing, but it was the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in. By the way, this was not sponsored. It’s real and from my heart.

I’ll say that this trip was beyond amazing. The beauty, the history, the lovely and kind people, the delicious food, it could not have been better.

Thank you to everyone I met and to everyone who made this trip happen!