A Good-Sized Komebukuro: Piece Constructed "Rice Bag"

early to mid twentieth century
12 1/2" x 10" x 10", 32 cm x 25.5 cm x 25.5 cm

This kind of piece-constructed, drawstring bag is referred to as a komebukuro.  

Komebukuro are bags that were used to bring token offerings of uncooked rice or beans to a temple or shrine festival, the piecing and patching often being thought-out and planned for festive effect.

This good sized bag is hand stitched of about 24 pieces of mainly dark, striped cotton of various types, with the inclusion of a sliver of large-scale kasuri. The bag closes with a drawstring which seems original to the bag which is looped through hand made loops, all of them intact.

The bag is entirely lined with hand woven, undyed cotton.

The overall effect is handsome and the choice of cloth used to create this komebukuro is well-selected.

A really lovely komebukuro of good size.