Sashiko was not decorative. It was structural — stitching layers of fabric together to extend the life of a garment that was expected to last decades. In the Taisho and early Showa period, a noragi like this one was a working coat, worn in fields and workshops until the sashiko became part of the fabric itself. What you see now is the result: indigo kasuri on the front, striped and plain cotton on the back, and dense hand-stitching running through all of it in patterns that took serious time to execute.

This specific piece has 18 photographs because it warrants 18 photographs. The boro character — the repairs, the wear, the layering — is the point. Collectors in Europe and the United States have been driving demand for pieces like this for years. Intact examples from the Taisho era with sashiko of this density are genuinely difficult to locate. This one is here now. There is one.

■ Product Details

• Era: Taisho to early Showa period
• Material: Cotton (indigo kasuri front / striped and plain back)
• Style: Noragi / boro work coat with hand sashiko stitching

■ Measurements

• Length (back collar base to hem): approx. 123 cm / 48.4 in
• Chest (underarm horizontal): approx. 61 cm / 24.0 in
• Shoulder width: approx. 62 cm / 24.4 in
• Sleeve length (shoulder apex to cuff): approx. 31.5 cm / 12.4 in
• Sleeve width: approx. 38.5 cm / 15.1 in
• Sleeve tip width: approx. 23 cm / 9.0 in

Please allow slight measurement variations.

Images 1–3 show the front. Images 4 onward show the back, details, and condition.

■ Condition

Dirt, fraying, fabric peeling, and unraveling in areas — consistent with boro character and age. Washed twice in-house. Retains a characteristic antique odor. No refunds or exchanges for damage or odor arising after ordering, washing, or wearing. Please order only if you fully understand the nature of antique boro textiles.

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