Carp in rough waves

荒磯 ariso

Carp in rough waves

Carp leaping and diving among rough waves. It comes from ariso donsu, a damask prized by tea masters as a meibutsu-gire. The carp swimming against the current stands for perseverance and success, from the legend of the carp that climbs a waterfall and becomes a dragon.

Chinese damask imported in the 14th–17th centuries (meibutsu-gire)

Ariso-gire is one of the 'ancient textiles' imported from China and admired as meibutsu-gire, the fabrics tea masters such as Kobori Enshū used for tea-caddy bags, scroll mountings and fukusa. Woven as damask (donsu) or brocade, it shows carp leaping in rough waves, usually in gold or silver on a deep blue or green ground. The leaping carp recalls the Dragon Gate legend.

Reproduced by Kyoto weavers for tea-ceremony pouches.

Technique catalog · draft for review

Every way to wrap, carry and wear a furoshiki.

The furoshiki.com archive, sliced into annotated steps with plain directions, plus techniques found in research.