This extraordinary textile originates from Japan’s mid-Showa period (about 1950–1960) and is a scholarly example of the pinnacle of weaving technology used in luxury accessory design. This piece is a medashi, a specialized sample created by master weavers to showcase intricate patterns and colorways to discerning clients. Unlike a fabric remnant, a medashi is woven as a standalone piece and retains its original selvedges on all four sides, measuring 13 inches by 34 inches. It is preserved in excellent condition, serving as a rare artifact of the high-status obi design process.

The visual narrative is a densely packed, multi-panel display of classical Japanese iconography rendered through the complex brocade technique. The central scenes depict a formal Heian-style procession, complete with a bullock carriage (goshoguruma), palanquins, and figures in traditional courtly attire set against a landscape of stylized pines and golden clouds. Horizontal bands of geometric lattices and floral roundels separate the figurative scenes, showcasing a mastery of thread-work and tonal complexity. The precision of the woven work is exceptionally detailed, utilizing a vast array of colored and metallic threads to create a three-dimensional, painterly effect that mimics the finest hand-painted scrolls.

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