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e-gasuri
Kasuri (splash geometric) Vs E-Gasuri (picture)
Then, in the 1800s probably in Kurume, Kyushu Island, kasuri pattern designers developed elaborate symbolic picture patterns to appear on textiles. These kasuri picture motifs are called e-gasuri in Japanese. Patterns from nature, old folktales, and auspicious symbols for wealth, happiness and longevity were popular. Many of ancient felicitous motifs designs, such as the pine, bamboo and plum (the three friends of winter) or the crane and turtle were culturally transmitted from China to Japan in the 5th century. The three friends of winter represent endurance, flexibility and new birth. The crane and sea turtle represent longevity, the crane said to live 1,000 years and the sea turtle 10,000 years. Crane and turtle patterns sometimes appear together with the kanji characters for 1,000 and 10,000 years.
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Other picture motifs include sparrows or tigers in a bamboo grove, lion-dogs and peonies and birds, often combined with geometrical patterns. Buddhist patterns such as Daruma, swastikas, religious hermits riding carp, the Seven Lucky Gods and temple guardian Shi Shi lions are also found.
Geometrical patterns were used primarily for farm clothing and kimonos. E-gasuri picture patterns were seen in futon covers, cushions and door curtains (noren). In the Kurume area large, auspicious patterns of shrines, castles and victorious war ships, done in double kasuri and covering 4 or 5 panels of cloth became popular around 1900. They were gifted as wedding futon covers and were the most expensive and auspicious e-gasuri textiles. They were typically produced on special order and are highly sought after by collectors.
Wedding futon covers with auspicious patterns were an important part of any bride's trousseau. Although workshops and factories developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries production costs were high and the cottage industry of home grown cotton, hand spun threads, naturally dyed and hand woven kasuri textiles remained strong and firmly in the hands of farm women and farmer cooperatives.
The joy of collecting and displaying e-gasuri, picture patterns is endless.
