Haori

Omoto, a type of lily, has been a popular design motif in Japan for centuries and is symbolic of good fortune and long life. There was a craze in the Edo period for raising and cultivating new varieties, similar to that of the Dutch for tulips in the 17th century. It got so out of hand that the Japanese government had to step in and regulated the sale of rhodea in 1852 to end price speculation. The placement of the omoto and its foliage of lush vegetation and winterberries alternates from left to right on the fabric. There is no attempt at shading, the flowers and leaves are solid blocks of colour.