Sawako Lilly's January/New Years Kimono

It's the month of January and a new year as well! Sawako Lilly's furisode (long sleeved) kimono this month features mikan (oranges), which is a traditional food to eat on New Years and in winter in general. :) I love this furisode so much because the orange tree in our back yard has been sprouting oranges like rabbits reproduce, and our entire family has been gorging ourselves silly with oranges (and giving them away in droves). ^_^ 

The kimono is made from rinzu silk (silk that is extremely shiny relative to other kimono silks and used for formal kimonos) with a pattern woven in (though I'm not sure what the pattern is of, maybe snow?). The oranges, leaves, branches, and fans are outlined with gold leaf, a technique called surihaku.

Aside from the mikan, there are also sensu (traditional Japanese fans) with what I believe are botan (peonies), kiku (chrysanthemums - an autumn flower), momiji (Japanese maple leaves) in them, and another flower (picture above) which I don't recognize. The fan below has the botan flowers.

The two fans on the sleeve below have kiku and the momiji. And oranges. Lots of oranges. For every one you eat 10 take its place.

Even the obi (wide belt) has the orange design woven into it! :D Can't escape those antioxidant rich citruses! The obijime (rope that holds the belt up) is a light green that matches the coloring on the obi belt, and the obiage (scarf on top of the obi that hides some of the knots holding up the kimono) is a beautiful contrasting, deep red, with the shibori (the dotted design) dying method.

Thanks for stopping by and looking! ^_^ Hopefully sometime this year I'll get Sawako Lilly's Kimono Chest section up to keep track of her collection, as well as general information about kimonos.