kowatari 古渡

Also read koto. Also jidaiwatari 時代渡. Lit. Old importation. Foreign objects, including art works, books, medicines, etc., imported mainly from China before and during the *Muromachi jidai 室町時代. In particular, the term is frequently used for the tea utensils and celebrated fabrics *meibutsugire 名物裂 imported around 15th century. In addition, objects imported before the early 14th century *Kamakura jidai 鎌倉時代 are sometimes called ōkowatari 大古渡 (very-old importation). Foreign objects imported during and after the Meiji period are called imawatari 今渡 (modern importation) or shinwatari 新渡 (new importation), and those which fall between kowatari and imawatari are called nakawatari 中渡 (intermediate importation).