鹿
01
Where it comes from
In Shinto, the deer has been thought of as a messenger of the gods, and the sacred deer of Kasuga Taisha are the best known. Deer are often drawn with autumn grasses or red maple leaves, perhaps because late autumn is the season when deer seek a mate. In China, deer and pine together were a picture for celebration. The small white spots on a young deer's coat gave their name to kanoko, a dappled pattern made by tie-dyeing.
02
On the cloth
On obi, deer stand in fields of pampas grass with bush clover and small chrysanthemums, or walk through deep mountains under maple leaves. On one obi, a young deer is woven among autumn grasses and maple leaves in gold.
03
To give
The deer suits someone starting out in a new place: a first school, a new town, a new role. It is a gift for someone you hope will be looked after, even when you cannot be there.
A word to keep
鹿の子
kanoko
Fawn spots. The small white dapples on a young deer's coat, and the tie-dyed pattern named after them.
Two questions
What does the Deer (鹿) pattern mean?
A wish to walk gently, watched over by the gods. The deer suits someone starting out in a new place: a first school, a new town, a new role.
Where does the 鹿 pattern come from?
In Shinto, the deer has been thought of as a messenger of the gods, and the sacred deer of Kasuga Taisha are the best known. Deer are often drawn with autumn grasses or red maple leaves, perhaps because late autumn is the season when deer seek a mate.
