ca. early to mid twentieth century
11" x 9" x 9", 28 cm x 23 cm x 23 cm

Over twenty separate pieces of hand loomed cotton cloth have been stitched together to create this drawstring bag or komebukuro--and what beautiful examples of home weaving they are. 

A komebukuro is so named because it was fashioned with an appeal toward the 'fancy.'  Dried rice or beans used as offering to a temple during a festival season would be offered to the temple in one of these 'flashy' bags, the rich piecing of cloth being a kind of decoration.  (Actually, this bag may not have been used as a komebukuro but more for quotidian functions, but it is of the type that we refer to as komebukuro.)

This bag is a marvelous example of Japanese patchwork, and is still very much able to be used as a bag, as a pillow or simply as a collectible to be admired. It is in very good condition and appears never to have been used.

Have a look at this bag as it is pictured in a group of others, here.

Recommended.