obolo

矢絣 Yagasuri

Traditional Japanese pattern (wagara) · wallpaper & status-bar design

Share

Overview

Yagasuri is a field of arrow feathers (fletching), usually shown as bold vertical bands.

矢絣は矢羽根を並べた文様。射た矢は戻らないことから縁起物とされ、嫁入り道具にも使われた。

History & origin

The arrow-feather pattern became iconic in the Edo and Meiji periods, famously worn by students and as the kimono of a bride. It is closely associated with the kasuri (ikat) weaving technique that gives the feathers their soft edges.

Symbolism & meaning

A shot arrow does not return, so yagasuri was considered auspicious for marriage — a wish that the bride would not come back home — and more broadly a charm for things moving forward and not reversing.

Traditional use

Still a popular choice for hakama, yukata and retro-modern fashion, its strong vertical rhythm makes a confident, graphic wallpaper.

Set it as your wallpaper

  1. Open the design in the editor and tune its colors.
  2. Recolor the ground and pattern, then add your own photo as the background.
  3. Download the PNG and set it as your wallpaper (Settings → Wallpaper on iPhone, or “Set as wallpaper” on Android).

New to custom wallpapers? Read the full step-by-step guide for iPhone & Android →

Customize & preview

Yagasuri colorways

More patterns

The Yagasuri motif is part of the public-domain canon of Japanese wagara. The artwork on obolo is our own original rendering.