紗綾形 Sayagata / Manji Consective Style
"Sayagata" is a kind of geometric design with a series of fylfot (卍 Manji - key fret - swastika - Buddhist cross) patterns. Because the pattern was similar to silk fabrics brought to Japan from China which was called "Saya" in Edo Era, people started to call it Saya-gata (Saya pattern).
The fylfot pattern has taken root as a map symbol which stands for Buddhist temples in Japan. It is a classical pictogram which came from the shape of Hindu God of love Vishnu’s chest hair, and it stands for a good omen and virtue.
"I was looking at the pale hands which scoop Miso soup into a bowl, the hands of a lady in a light gray-blue Sayagata fine-patterned kimono with nicely white collar…" Izumi Kyoka - Onnakeizu (1907)
