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This extraordinary woman's silk haori features yuzen and freehand painting, adorned with embroidery highlights and bearing good luck symbols. It measures 50 inches (127 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and standing at 31 inches (79 cm) in height.
This particular garment suggests it might have been a formal haori tailored at great expense for a woman from a significant family. Its design is unprecedented, with huge auspicious motifs densely arranged, some overlapping, creating a bold and powerful visual statement. These motifs collectively fall under what the Japanese refer to as 'takara-zukushi' (all kinds of treasures).
Identifiable treasures within the design include symbols such as 'kakuregasa' (hat of invisibility), 'tsuchi' (mallet symbolizing wish fulfillment), 'magatama' (ancient curved bead), 'nunobukuro' (bag of unlimited wealth), 'chouji' (cloves), 'makimono' (scrolls denoting wisdom and longevity), and 'shippo' (overlapping circles). The 'shippo' seven-treasures design originated in the late Heian period, symbolizing wealth, prosperity, and longevity. These symbols, rooted in Buddhist teachings from India and China, transitioned from religious to secular motifs, incorporated into clothing designs during the Muromachi era to bring good fortune to the wearer.