plain blue cotton; solid blue cotton fabric
A traditional Japanese cotton fabric dyed a solid, unpatterned blue. The term is now rare and considered sensitive due to the derogatory origin of めくら. Often replaced by 無地の藍染め木綿 or similar descriptions.
In the Edo period, plain blue cotton was often used for commoners' everyday clothes.
This kimono is made of solid blue cotton fabric.
Standard kanji spelling for this term.
Alternate kanji spelling.
Irregular kanji usage; rarely used.
The term combines めくら (a now-offensive word for 'blind') with 縞 (stripe), originally meaning 'blind stripe' — a fabric without visible stripes, i.e., solid-colored. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it reflects a traditional naming pattern for plain textiles.