In the West, there is a proverb:
"Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth."
It refers to children who are born into wealthy and privileged families. Following that expression, Ms. Osawa was born in Kiryu in February 1940 (the 15th year of the Showa era) as the eldest daughter of Touzaburo and Asako, with a silver spoon in her mouth.
(Around this time, Ms. Osawa was one or two years old.)
At that time, Kiryu was a major textile production center famously known as "Nishijin in the West, Kiryu in the East," and the town's wealth knew no bounds. Trading companies known as "kaitsugi" consolidated the weavers within the city and conducted extensive business in Kiryu textiles both domestically and internationally, bringing in an overflow of wealth.
Her father, Touzaburo, was a "kaitsugi" merchant. Their home, which also served as his company, was located on a vast property with countless rooms. It was in a constant state of bustle, with weavers, merchants, craftsmen, employees, and even mysterious people whose business was unclear coming and going at all hours, as if the clamor of the big city had moved right in.
Her mother, Asako, came from a distinguished family in Azabu, Tokyo.
"Perhaps that is why she was someone deeply disciplined. No matter what my father did, she never wavered from the principle that he was the pillar of the family. For instance, even when my father returned from a night out, she made the entire family gather at the entrance to greet him. Moreover, we all had to kneel and bow properly. People today probably wouldn't believe it," she recalled.
In old-fashioned terms, she was a "mirror of a virtuous woman." However, she was not a weak woman who simply practiced "husband-led, wife-following" where men were always prioritized.
"Kiyomi, men have to play the role of strong people who are never swayed by anything when they are outside. But you know, even men have times when they want to cry. A man can only cry when he is with his wife. That is why a woman must always be a prop for a man," Asako had said. This was something Asako told Ms. Osawa long after she had grown up.
Such was the home she grew up in. From the time she was old enough to understand her surroundings, Ms. Osawa always had several maids by her side looking after her. She was literally a sheltered daughter, raised in the lap of luxury.
(Ms. Osawa was five years old—or perhaps it might have been seven.)
She had an older brother, and eventually, a younger brother and sister followed. While all four were raised by their parents in the same way, Ms. Osawa grew up to be a somewhat different child.
When they saw their father's face in the morning, everyone would greet him with, "Good morning." Everyone, that is, except for Ms. Osawa.
Bending at the waist to open and close shoji and fusuma (sliding doors) is a beautiful Japanese gesture. However, Ms. Osawa would remain standing and use her feet to slide them open and shut.
No matter how much she was scolded, she stubbornly stuck to her own ways. She was a child who could not be disciplined.
"Even though I was like that, I heard that the proprietress of a high-class Japanese restaurant in Tsukiji asked to adopt me. I was five years old at the time."
Her father frequently used that restaurant for business. Perhaps because of that, the proprietress often went all the way to Kiryu to pay her respects.
"At that time, when guests were in the living room I would carry a tray with a tin of Peace cigarettes, an ashtray, and matches to them. No one taught me to do such things, nor did anyone tell me to, of course."
The eccentric, undisciplined child was also born with the innate ability to read people's hearts and slip into their favor effortlessly.
"That’s why I think the proprietress wanted to 'train' a child like me. They say she even said she wanted me to inherit the restaurant in the future."
Born with a silver spoon in her mouth and protected by the lap of luxury, Ms. Osawa grew up breathing in the air of the Osawa family as they enjoyed their golden age. Everything around her, from her clothes to the household furnishings, was filled with countless beautiful things. It was inevitable that the "beauty" surrounding her would permeate deep into her body. Amidst this, Ms. Osawa, born with a mysterious sensibility, began to leave her mark on life.
Kiyomi Osawa Gallery
Ms. Osawa loves animals and has created many embroidery paintings of living creatures. Starting with this edition, I will guide you through "Ohsawa's Zoo" for a while.
Ms. Osawa is an embroidery artist with a unique technique for capturing eyes and fur. It is a pity that photographs cannot convey 100% of the quality.
(The Fighting Spirit (Toukon))
(Untitled)
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