Swallows over Water

In Japan, the swallow comes back every spring to nest under the same roof. A house it chooses is said to be a happy house, and its nest is never destroyed.

The three commas of the crest, the mitsu-domoe, are one of the oldest motifs in the country: you see them on temple drums and shrine roof tiles, where they were believed to guard against fire.

The characters on the lining are brushed like a letter or a notebook of poems, never meant to be read in one go. They are words you wear against yourself, not words you display.

At first glance, a very dark brown, almost black, and a few white crests: three commas turning in a circle (mitsu-domoe). Then the light moves, and the silk takes on glints of gold. The colour changes with the angle — that is the weave at work, not a dye.

Inside, a grey-brown lining painted by hand: swallows skimming the water, lines of waves, two lanterns, and, scattered among them, fragments of a poem in calligraphy.

This is the rule of Japanese men’s dress: plain outside, free inside. Here the freedom is quiet — it shows only at the turn of the collar and when the jacket opens.

Worn open, as a short jacket, over a light shirt or a black sweater.

Length

85 cm / 33.5"

Yuki (back to cuff)

approx. 63 cm / 24.8" — cuff-to-cuff span approx. 126 cm / 49.6"

Body width

60 cm / 23.6"

Sleeve

44.5 cm / 17.5" long, 31.5 cm / 12.4" wide

Material

Silk with gold glints. Painted silk lining.

Motif

Lining: swallows, waves, lanterns, calligraphy

Crests

Mitsu-domoe (three commas in a circle)

Condition

First grade.

Worn

Open, as a short jacket

Sent from France, carefully folded and wrapped in Japanese paper. Times and rates are set out in the terms of sale. Returns accepted within fourteen days, except for pieces altered to measure.

Dry clean only. The lining is painted: never rub, never spot-clean with water. Store flat or on a hanger, away from light.