Obi - Kimono — Obi帯

Obi focuses on the wide sash that holds a kimono closed, elevating this functional garment element to the status of primary subject. The obi is often the most expensive and elaborately decorated part of a woman's ensemble, its pattern and tying style communicating season, occasion, age, and personal taste. Iwata's oban woodblock print likely renders the textile's surface decoration and structural complexity with the medium's capacity for precise color registration. By naming the print after the accessory rather than its wearer, Iwata draws attention to the artistry embedded in everyday Japanese dress.