Vintage Furoshiki - Kenkatabami & Karakusa -

Furoshiki is a multipurpose square cloth central to Japanese daily life for centuries. The name means “bath rug,” originating from the cloths used in 15th-century public saunas. By the Edo period, furoshiki had evolved into a personal carry-all, often personalized with the family’s kamon (crest) for identification in crowded bathhouses.

This furoshiki is made from four cotton panels of extra-deep indigo, hand-stitched with sashiko thread. It bears prints of karakusa (Japanese arabesque) and the kamon Kenkatabami (剣片嗍)—creeping woodsorrel, a motif associated with resilience and quiet persistence.

From south Nagano, approximately 100 years old. Measures 143 × 129 cm. In excellent deadstock condition. Due to the nature of vintage fabric, minor fades, pulls, or patina may be present—these are part of its character.