Tsubame (Swallow)

Swallows come to Japan at the end of spring, and they spend a summer and raise chicks.

They usually build a nest of mud and grasses around human habitation.
Many Japanese look forward to the chickes growing safely.

Swallows are one of the most familiar presence for Japanese for a long time. So the motif of swallow is often used in a design of kimono and obi for summer.

tsubame
1. A parent bird sitting on eggs.
tsubame_koban
2. A nest built in a police car garage of “Koban” (a police box). It is the safest place in the world to nest!
tsubame_koban2
3. Youngs are big enough to leave home soon.

Design motif of Tsubame

tsubame_kimono
This is the typical motif of swallow and it’s used in casual kimono and obi for summer.