In Search of a Handkerchief

In Search of a Handkerchief

Constantine's Made in Japan Handkerchief #1

I was in search of a handkerchief, and it was only in a Japanese clothing store, Kimono House on 131 Thompson Street, naturally SOHO in NYC. While in New York City and Kyoto did I come across perhaps a little known fact that the Japanese are, and have been, and remain known for their fabrics and the assorted arts that accompany fabric, e.g. dyeing.  Another example is the fabric house,  "House of Hosoo", was established in 1688! In Japan, you will observe women wearing the sheerest of blouse and the skirts or dress of a finely woven fabric, such as  linen or silk.

[I'll save “washi” paper for another story.]   

So the story goes that I was shopping for accessories to the girlfriend's Kimono, and in walks a gentleman from San Francisco...on a business trip, and he says he finds himself in SOHO at Kimono House. I indicated to the lady who was helping me with now the 9^th item of apparel* that needed to be purchased, she should certainly wait on the gentleman. He then proceeds to ask about handkerchiefs, vintage or new.

*What? You thought you would only buy a kimono and that would be it.

 Au contraire, there is the inevitable choice of Obi (belt), an undergarment for the kimono itself,

assorted belts to help tie each piece together. Then the special socks to be worn with the special shoes. 
Wonder about the purse?

Well, I was pretty astounded. I knew of some of Japanese culture  -  dress, politeness, fastidiousness about litter, but this really caught me off guard. We had just months before been travelling in Japan – Tokyo, Kyoto, the obligatory Mount Fuji, and some smaller locales, and we were in the process of learning much about the temples, palaces, gastro, and needless to say the obligatory bar tours in Tokyo. Bars name dropping the likes of Ben Fiddich, General Yamamoto, Bar Orchid Ginza, Mixology Lab, etc.

In the course of the travels one could see, not from the American traveler, but from the Japanese, how well they admire and value fine clothing and fabric. To digress a little, at a restaurant a lady does not place her handbag or department store package on the floor but in a small container off the floor, the purpose of which is to keep the package clean and separate from debris on the floor tracked in by shoes!

I was impressed! Very impressed!

It appears the history of fabric making in Japan is quite old and is still continued as a staple in Japan society. In stores, you may know of the names of some of the more well-known brands such as WACOAL, Commes de Garçons, and UNIQLO.

So to come back around to the handkerchiefs, I purchased two. They are a very fine fabric. After washing them, I prepared to iron them and quickly ascertained that I really did not need to. I did it anyway to the chagrin of girlfriend.

#2 Japanese Handkerchief of Constantine

List of commonly known manufacturers –

Ø  UNIQLO

Ø  Wacoal

Ø  Comme des Garçons

Ø  Mikimoto fabric

Sayonara! さよなら

Cocktail

Naoko’s Shōchū Cocktail

Shōchū 1 part

Lemon Juice 1 part

Lime Juice 1 part

Sparkling water

     + You may wish to add a sweetener for non-Japanese tastes

  Shōchū is a low alcohol distilled beverage made from either rice, barley, buckwheat or other product and is known as Soju in Korea.

Music – Ichiko Hashimoto, "Far thinking" ("はるかな想い" "Haruka na omoi") 

Appetizer – Harumaki (Spring roll)