Tuesday 13 November 2012

Boro museum in Asakusa


Robyn has written a post on her PP Blog about her trip to the Amuse Museum in Asakusa, Tokyo, where part of the museum is dedicated to boro cloths, garments and (judging by her photos) some rather lovely sakiori rag weave as well.  Click the link above to read her blog post and visit the museum's homepage (in English). It looks like the easiest way to locate it would be to walk up the Nakamisedori (the souvenir stall street) right up to the front of the Asakusa Temple, then turn right immediately before the temple.  This is the address to cut and paste into Google maps - 東京都台東区浅草2丁目34番3号  The Nakamisedori runs almost due North and is the street with the paralell green 'blocks' along each side, while the temple is the large building with the swastika (this is how Buddhist temples are marked on Japanese maps).  The Amuse Museum is labelled in English.  As it is just around the corner from the ryokan I use when I visit Tokyo, I think I'll see the museum on my next visit.

The photos shown here are an antique boro jacket from my collection.




3 comments:

Lis Harwood said...

You will enjoy the wonderful Amuse Museum, everything is so well displayed, you can touch, photograph and there are even items to try on :-) I spent several hours there when I was in Japan in April and will revisit when I go to Japan again (when I've saved up). There's a nice shop too - they just need to add a cafe :-)

Robyn said...

I hope you get there Susan - it is just amazing and it is even better that you stay so close.
Have you been to the Blue and White Shop in Tokyo? They had a Boro type display in their window when we were there last week. They have a technique they have called Crazy Sashiko which is really cool - less formal than the traditional.Have a look at their Calendar Post here: www.blueandwhitetokyo.com

Susan Briscoe said...

Robyn, that's fun! Some of it reminds me of Junko Maeda's stitching. Must find where I put her book 'Nuno wa tsunagu nichinichi' ('Everyday cloth connection'?) 布をつなぐ日々 Not sure if I'm reading that right. Got a copy via Amazon.jp http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/4579111168/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i02 but it now looks like it is out of print.