"Tairyo Bata (Big Catch Flag)"

There was a shop called "Yuzen" on 6th Street in the East Village in '80s.   
It was a small Japanese Antique Shop specializing in Kimonos, located in the middle of New York's Indian Restaurant block.  Many of these Indian Restaurants are still on that same block serving good Indian food, but that shop is long gone.
Jonathan and I visited that shop many times before and after Indian Dinners.  
And we found more than a few Very Colorful Japanese Antique Flags.
Before they closed their doors, they had a huge sale.  And that was a great time for us to buy those Japanese Fisherman's Flags called "Tairyo-Bata".  
We didn't know what we can use them for.  But Jonathan loved the very graphic nature of cotton flags so much, he felt that he must have them, specially with closing sale prices.  So we ended up buying every one they had.
"Tairyo-Bata" are originally flown by fishing boats to signify a large catch. They can tell their families from far away on the ocean that they have had a Big Catch by raising those flags.  Today they are used as a decorative flags on vessels as well as for festivals and events.  
In Wikipedia, it literally translates as " Big Catch Flag", each rectangular flag bears an intricate design specific to the company or boat, typically involving bright colors and ocean motifs.  
Many of these flags can be still seen in the coastal communities of Japan.  

 This is a picture Jonathan found by internet. 

This is not what I was expected to see.

But this one gives us some idea what fishing boat looks like, 

when they have the "Big Catch"

Normally fisherman do not have this many "Tairyo-Bata"  

This fisherman must have had much good luck in the past.

Doesn't this picture makes you smile ?

Those flags come with in many sizes, and designs.  Most of them have Japanese caricatures, which are names of boats and fisherman.  They are always dyed bright happy colors.  After all, they have message of "Big Catch", that means they have great news to come home with....
Many years later I decoded to make Drapes and Bed Spread and Pillow Covers from "Tairyo-Bata".  Some of them we kept as they were, so we can use them as table cloths, or wrapping cushions.
When you feel cold in your bedroom or when you get "Winter Blues", you need to have something bright in your home, especially in the cold winter mornings after the holidays.  
I sometime put out those Drapes and Bed Spread made from "Taryo-Bata" in January or February till Spring's arrival.
When I'm not ready to get up nor ready to start my day, I need to have some push beside the coffee.  Colorful surroundings gives me that cheerful push !  

Believe it or not, this floor to ceiling drape is made from one "Tairyo-bata"

I hung this colorful drape over a wider simple white drape. 

Some of those cushions are simply wrapped with "Tairyo-Bata"

Others are put into covers I made with "Tairyo-Bata"

Some colors faded a little, after all they are more than 25 years old.

But as I use, they get softer and lovelier !

This Bed Spread is made from 2 Medium size "Tairyo-Bata"

And it trimmed with Printed Cotton I found in NYC.

Under sleeping pillows, I have shams made with another "Tairyo-Bata"

Happy colors bring me many happy dreams in the Winter Nights !

Even on very cold winter morning, 

when sunlight hit those very bright colors on the "Tairyo-Bata" 

some how it makes me feel Spring is almost here !