Imperial carts

This jacquard obi is woven of silk threads and thin silvery lamé. The warp itself is made of a silvery slat which gives this fabric an intense shine when it moves in the light.

Motif

In ancient and medieval Kyoto, the imperial family and nobility traversed the city in ox-drawn carriages. These imperial carriages (Gosho-guruma 御所車 in Japanese) are often represented on obi and kimono motifs. On this obi we can see various carriages, some parked and some are being drawn by oxen. Some of them have their bamboo blinds lowered which hints at the presence of an elegant lady or nobleman inside.

The scene references classic literary moments, like the crush of carts during the Kamo festival in Kyoto from "The Tale of Genji." It is adorned by peonies, chrysanthemums and irises in bloom.

The obi has different colour tones on both hands and can either be worn showing the colourful end or the one with quieter tones, as you can see in these two photos for comparaison.