Among Mr. Tanaka’s collection, there are a lot of clothing
called “BORO” which had been used from generations to
generations in a household; some of them were even made back in
the Edo Period. “BORO” is now becoming an international phrase,
originated from Japanese snowy north area, meaning of the
patched clothes that people back then used for many generations
in a household by adding stitches and/or pieces of cloth on it
over and over. The word “BORO” has now an artistic sense to it,
highly rated among the field of the textile art design, and
requested for purchase by various artists and collectors. BORO
is patched clothing with a lot of small cloths here and there,
but nothing fancy like today’s quilted or patched works. It was
made purely for the practical purposes for retaining warmth in
the snowy areas and for making it last as long as possible where
it was hard to obtain any sorts of cloth. When we review its
practicality and design from today’s point of view, we are able
to realize its incredible sophi