also: サントメじま
striped cotton fabric from São Tomé; Japanese imitation of São Tomé striped cotton
Historical textile term; refers to a striped cotton originally imported from São Tomé and later reproduced in Japan. Now mainly encountered in discussions of Edo-period fabrics or traditional crafts.
In the Edo period, santomejima was popular as an imported striped cotton fabric.
This kimono is made of santomejima.
Standard kanji spelling for this historical fabric term.
Mixed katakana-kanji spelling reflecting the foreign place name São Tomé.
桟留 is an ateji spelling of サントメ, from Portuguese São Tomé, the former name of Santhome near Chennai, an Indian source of striped cotton; 縞 means “striped cloth.”