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Matsusaka Momen: Matsusaka Cotton

January 31, 2017

Matsusaka momen (cotton) is woven with indigo-dyed thread that is rich in earthy scent, and has a wide variety of striped design patterns. In the Edo Period (17-19c), with its sumptuary laws that restricted luxurious fashion items, this cotton was highly appreciated as the most fashionable kimono fabric available to the Edo citizens, who took their pride in their "iki".*

*"Iki" is a traditional Japanese sense of style, which roughly means "chic", or sophisticated stylishness.

Matsusaka momen looks like subdued solid fabric from a distance, but when you get a closer look, you will notice that it actually consists of delicate but clean vertical stripes. This subtle design was perfect for the sensitivity of "iki", and made Matsusaka momen very popular. In fact, it was so popular that the average annual sales of Matsusaka momen was more than 500,000 units in Edo (present day Tokyo), where the entire population was about one million. To this day, when a Kabuki actor dons a striped kimono, it is referred to as "wearing a Matsusaka". This is an impressive testimonial of Matsusaka momen's continued popularity.

Read the full article:
Matsusaka Momen: Matsusaka Cotton

Translated by: Misa Imanaka, reviewed by: Marina Izumi

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