423 Men's Black Habutai Mon-tsuki Haori

This is a black habutae haori with five crests.

This haori was made by dyeing white habutae fabric from Gosen City, Niigata Prefecture, black and then adding crests.

The original bolt of white fabric was about 24 meters long. I believe it was intended for both a kimono and a haori, with family crests added to each. However, only the haori is available. This listing is for the haori only.

The family crest is not the common Gosan no Kiri (Paulownia with three and five leaves). Instead, it is a Maru ni Kawari Hana Kiri (Circle with a Modified Flower Paulownia) crest, where the paulownia flowers are depicted as star-shaped, and the paulownia leaves are shaped like those of a bellflower or hollyhock. There are five of these crests.
(Photo 3 shows the crest on the haori, and Photo 4 shows the Gosan no Kiri from a crest book.)

The Gosan no Kiri crest is said to have originated in ancient China, where the paulownia tree was considered an auspicious tree associated with the arrival of the mythical phoenix and the birth of a sage ruler.

Therefore, the paulownia became a symbol of the sage ruler, and it is said to have been used as a secondary crest alongside the chrysanthemum in the Japanese Imperial family.

The Gosan no Kiri crest is revered as a highly honorable crest, second only to the chrysanthemum. It is said that since Emperor Go-Daigo bestowed it upon Ashikaga Takauji, it gradually spread as Takauji granted it to his vassals.

The Gosan no Kiri is considered the family crest of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. However, it is also said that because Hideyoshi granted it to his retainers, it became more common in western Japan.

The裏地 (uraji - lining) is made of satin fabric, woven using a technique called Shusu (satin weave). It depicts a scene of an old man lying down by a river under a large tree.

In this particular lining, the warp threads are floated over the weft threads for a longer distance, with the warp threads crossing over four or more weft threads. This is also known as Gomai Shusu (five-harness satin weave). (Photos 8 and 9 show close-ups taken with a USB microscope.)

Dimensions (in cm):
Haori length (back): 83
Sleeve to sleeve (裄): 68.5
Sleeve width: 34
Sleeve length: 48.5
Back width: 30
Front width: 20

There appear to be no stains.

We have checked for stains and dirt as thoroughly as possible, but there may be some oversights. We appreciate your understanding.

The images are taken with a digital camera. Please note that colors may vary depending on your monitor.

The white haori himo (cord) used for photography (synthetic fiber) will be included. (Photos 1, 2, 11, 12)

The white haori himo has a synthetic tassel (polyester tassel) and a round silver ring.

This is a temporary fixation to prevent the tassel from becoming disarranged. If the metal fitting is visible, it detracts from the formality of the attire.

It is said that visible metal fittings should be avoided, especially in formal settings. The above is quoted from AI Copilot's explanation.