They were to Japan what the willow-pattern Chinaman became to England.
From the time.com
A family down from London are sitting at a refectory table sipping from willow-pattern cups.
From the guardian.co.uk
Here beans and courgettes mingle with lavenders, tulips and roses, in a parterre pattern of raised beds with woven willow walls that could have come from a monastery garden.
From the telegraph.co.uk
Most contemporary Chinese art is a product made for western consumption, just as willow-pattern plates or porcelain vases were shipped out in huge quantities for the western market.
From the guardian.co.uk
Also, while traditional materials like oak, hickory, and willow might be hard to come by, reed is plentiful and can be cut into any size or shape that might be needed for a pattern.