This is a furoshiki, or “carrying cloth” made from three sections of an old Japanese banner. It was produced in the early to mid 20th century. and was dyed using fermented persimmon dye. The kanji was produced using a technique called tsutsugaki. This furoshiki is a great example of the Japanese idea of mottainai or “nothing wasted.”  Notice the third section of the furoshiki where the kanji are upside down.

The darker portion above is where the banner would have been attached, via a fabric tab, to a pole  that held it aloft. It remained dark while the rest of the banner was sun bleached.