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Asa no ha
Nihongo

Gallery:
See also: Old prints about hemp farming (large)
See also: Kiseru pipes
See also: The floating world
See also: Miasa village (Nagano prefecture)
See also: Hemp in Gunma prefecture
See also: Hemp in Tochigi prefecture
See also: Hemp and sumo
See also: Asa no ha
See also: Other hemp images

See also:
See also: The "Hemp in Japan" Library

'Asa no ha' pattern
'Asa no ha' pattern

'Asa no ha' pattern
'Asa no ha' pattern
The Asanoha (Hemp Leaf) pattern is a popular traditional pattern often seen on Japanese kimono. Though often people forget about this today, the regular geometric pattern represents overlapping hemp leaves.

Because hemp was known for it's rapid growth, the pattern was often used for clothes of newborn children. The wives of merchants would also often wear it. It was believed to bring good fortune to the wearer.

See also:
See also: Traditional patterns in Japan

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Fine Japanese Hemp from Aurora Dyeworks.
Cheryl Kolander Collection


Noren Detail
(Dave Olson collection)

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Omatsuri
Dancer in white fox mask and whig of white hemp fibres at Japanese summer festival (o-matsuri) wearing asa no ha pattern on chest.

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Shichi go san

A three year old lady in an asa no ha (Hemp Leaf patterned) kimono at a shrine for the shichi go san festival for 3 and 7 year old girls and 5 year old boys.


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 Nihongo