This rare chirimen (silk crepe) kyodai (mirror) cover, dating to the late Meiji period (1880–1912), is an exceptional example of auspicious decorative textile art. Measuring 19 inches by 43 inches (48 cm x 109 cm), the vertical cover is crafted from a rich terracotta-colored silk ground.
The composition features three karako (Chinese-style children), meticulously rendered through yuzen-dyeing and enhanced with metallic embroidery highlights. In Japanese art, karako are depicted as small boys in traditional Chinese attire, characterized by bare heads with two small tufts of hair. They are powerful symbols of luck, prosperity, and the hope for male successors who will achieve high social status. One child holds a ceremonial fan, another a double gourd—a symbol of longevity and health—while the third gazes upward. Above them sits a large, white-dyed family crest (mon) depicting three stylized leaves.