2024.11.10 Shizuoka Prefecture, Fujieda City: Old Folk House Gallery Kokoro-an Pre-exhibition 'Floral Pattern Meisen Exhibition'

Thanks to a connection, I traveled a long way to visit.
Old Folk House Gallery, Kokoro-an. Setoya district, Fujieda City.
It is a precious gallery that, due to various circumstances, is only open on Sundays from 10:00 to 16:00.
The folk house stood there like a sunny spot, tucked away almost directly beneath the Shin-Tomei Expressway.

Apparently, the original landowners moved to the neighborhood when the Shin-Tomei Expressway was built, and because the building was so wonderful, some architects rented it as an office. Then, a relative opened the main house as a gallery.

The interior layout is that of a typical farmhouse. You enter the earthen floor (doma) from the entrance, and on the left, there are four rooms arranged in a 'ta' shape separated by walls and sliding doors (fusuma). At the back of the earthen floor is the kitchen, on the entrance side (south) is a veranda (engawa), and on the right, they had placed tables to use as an office.

Hanging dolls of the Chinese zodiac made by the owner's mother, and what is hanging in the back is likely a lined kimono (awase) from the Taisho to Showa era.
The colors and patterns are very modern, and what is depicted in the red, white, and green is actually a fir tree and a church!

In the room at the back along the earthen floor, there was an explanation of Meisen. Wow, I didn't know anything about it...
I was also taught the difference between a lined kimono (awase) and an unlined one (hitoe). Roughly speaking, it's whether or not it has a lining.

Floral Meisen kimonos are lined up in a row. It is a gorgeous and warm world.
Is it that it feels nostalgic somewhere?

This one also has novel colors and modern patterns. Red patterns on a dark navy background.
Flying in the sky are reindeer.

Amigurumi (crocheted stuffed toys) made by the owner's mother, who is over 80, were also lined up. Each one has its own expression, and it's irresistible when they look at you!

The fact that various handmade items are packed into the space is also a highlight. The handled box shown in the middle was made by re-covering a broken wicker basket using the 'Ikkan-bari' method and decorating the surface with floral paper.
The owner laughed refreshingly, saying it took quite a lot of effort, and I felt the power of her craftsmanship in many ways.

I also heard a story about how in the past, people would embroider simple designs on the backs of children's kimonos to pray for their growth. It is called a 'se-mamori' (back charm), and this patchwork is said to be a collection of se-mamori made by many people. I felt like I received the power of people caring for one another.

Also, a 'collaborative work' with the cat the owner used to live with was on display. The pictures drawn with crayons on cardboard that the cat had scratched are wonderful.

This cat, made from old socks and fabric scraps to preserve the memory of a cat that is no longer here, was also very adorable.

It was an exceptional moment where I felt nostalgia and novelty in every place, felt the warmth of handmade items and tremendous power, and my heart was completely recharged.

Oh, the Meisen exhibition is actually supposed to start in December, but I heard they have already finished decorating. If you are lucky, you might be able to step into this power spot of 'learning from the past' on a Sunday between 10:00 and 16:00.