I am eager to go Itchiku Kubota Art museum after checking its website because Kimono museum is rare. It would be interested in the museum for foreigners to see exhibition of many kimonos, and the museum is taken three stars in the Michelin. For me, it was the first time to see kimono’s exhibition so I was exiting!
Itchiku Kubota (1917-2003) is a dying designer who was fascinated the dying technique “Tsujigahana” floulshed in Muromachi period and he established his own “Tsujigahana” in his development. The exhibition is held oversees which regards to his art and its achievements very highly.
Tsujigahana dyeing technique is a kind of dyeing and sewing tighten shibori pattern has flourished during the Muromachi period as luxury goods, however it disappeared in the Edo period by rising of Yuzen who is a dying designer and famous in Japan as a dyeing technique. By using the unique technique that dyeing the pattern directly on fabric, which can be more freely description. It was born in the Edo period.
In this time, I saw a special exhibition “Symphony of Light” with 34 kimonos. This was Kubota’s lifework and the final goal is the expressing with eighty kimono series as Season in Nature and Universe. 46 series kimonos expressed “Winter, Autumn and Universe” has been completed.
Looking the kimono nearby, it highlights its precision and sophisticated. Various techniques to fit the pieces of the art are used. Sewn tighten shibori pattern dyeing is exactly very fine work. The pattern on kimonos are characterized by the theme of nature such subjects as Mt. Fuji, other mountains, snowing scenery, sea, flowers and birds. You would see how to work on the video’s in the museum.
Beautiful Garden
This museum has not only Kobota’s great works but also beautiful garden.
The building of the museum cannot be seen from the entrance. Entering the gate, there is a beautiful natural garden along the path.
About 5 minutes walking the slope you can see the building of the museum.
There is a wonderful garden behind this building, too. After I saw the kimono, I walked around further in the back garden. It seems that Kubota established not only kimono, but also garden and its equipment, and created his one world.
Access
By Express bus
BUSTA Shinjuku (Bus terminal) to Kawaguchiko (100 minutes)
Using Lake. Kawaguchi sightseeing bus, It would be 25minutes from Kawaguchiko Station.
There are some attractions, shops, cafes, hotels and hot springs around Lake. Kawaguchi.
