Rabbits under flowering trees

花兎 hana usagi

Rabbits under flowering trees

A rabbit looking back beneath a small flowering tree, repeated in rows that face alternate ways. It comes from hana-usagi kinran, a gold brocade prized by tea masters as a meibutsu-gire (celebrated antique textile) and still woven for tea-ceremony pouches and fukusa.

Ming China (14th–17th century); prized in Momoyama Japan

Hana-usagi kinran is a gold brocade, woven in several versions from the early to late Ming dynasty, showing a rabbit under a flowering tree on a small mound, in staggered rows. Imported to Japan, it became one of the meibutsu-gire (celebrated textiles) treasured by tea people for pouches and mountings. The best-known version, 'Suminokura', is said to have been loved by the Momoyama merchant-tea man Suminokura Ryōi. Its charm led to many Japanese copies.

Still woven in Nishijin for tea pouches, fukusa and obi.

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.