Kaji-Shōzoku

Fireman costume with crest maru-ni-kenkatabami
Kudzu (Pueraria montana)

Kuzu-fu is made of kudzu, a seasonal climbing plant. Its vines grow more than 10 meters and its roots have been used for medicine. In Japan, it is counted as one of 7 plants of autumn. The fiber used for the textile is taken from the vine. Boil, rinse, and ferment it, then take out the fiber to spin. They tie the fibers together to make it longer. Usually the wefts are kudzu fiber though the warps could be different material, such as cotton, silk, or hemp. The texture is naturally sheen like champagne gold and beautiful compared to the other natural fibers.

The crest (mon) maru-ni-kenkatabami (丸に剣片喰) was especially used by the Sakai family and the Takahashi family.

Design of cloud is on the muneate, and the design of wave is on the collars of the kajibaori. Both motives are related to water, like the shell on the back side of the costume, on wishing to protect from fire.