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Kimonos worn by Japan’s nobility on exhibit at the Bunka Gakuen Fashion Museum

By on April 18, 2023

In the succeeding two hundred years after Japan’s kimono enjoyed popularity in the 14th century, the national costume underwent a design makeover with a new variety of prints, color palettes and fabric.

Well-curated ancient kimonos in different patterns and designs will be showcased to the public in an exhibition at the Bunka Gakuen Fashion Museum in Tokyo.

The exhibit will focus on four kimono types worn by Japan’s nobility: Kyūtei shōzoku (court style), kosode, samurai style, and Noh style revealing much about Japan’s social class and the intricate workmanship that went into each piece of garment.

Court style kimono

Characterized by overlapping clothes with broad sleeves, the court style kimono was worn over a hakama undergarment. Tailored with a crest fabric called Yusoku, the rules for wearing it are according to purpose and age of wearer. In this exhibition, you will be seeing court-style kimonos from contemporary times inspired by court nobility tradition. This includes Juni-hitoe a formal court dress first worn in the Heian period ( 794 to 1185) by noble women and ladies-in-waiting at the Japanese Imperial Court.

Kosode style kimono

Kosode is the old name given to today’s kimono that has a small cuff opening worn only by wealthy merchants from the Edo period called zaibatsu (Japanese business tycoons) today. The former kosode collection of the prominent Mitsui family which had plant patterns were intricately embroidered and tie-dyed.

Samurai style kimono

When the well-paid Samurai class (warrior class) gained prominence after Japan’s Kamakura period, attention and care were given to clothing worn by its families. Although the fabrics conform to simple and stencil dyeing techniques as a symbol of purity, they were made in high contrast colors and wacky designs to send a message of strength.

In this exhibition, you will see a collection of Jinbaori, special sleeveless coats layered over armor worn by samurai in battlefields.

Noh style kimono

One of the the three most famous traditional theater styles along with Bunraku and Kabuki, Noh theatre which started in the Muromachi period, became the form of entertainment for the shogunate in the Edo period. As the nohgakushis (Noh performers) rubbed elbows with the shogun, Noh costumes were luxuriously made with the financial backing of shoguns and daimyo.  Noh costumes famously worn by the Ii family, the lord of the Omi Hikone Domain from the late Edo period to the Meiji period, will be on display at the exhibit.

When: June 17 (Sat) – August 6 (Sun), 2023

First round:     June 17 (Sat) – July 8 (Sat)

Second round: July 10 (Mon) – August 6 (Sun)

  • Exhibits on display on first or second round subject to change 

Opening hours: 10:00-16:30
※Open until 19:00 on Friday, July 7 and Friday, July 21
※Last admission – 30 minutes before closing time.
Closed: Sundays (June 18 (Sun), July 16 (Sun), 30 (Sun), August 6 (Sun), public holidays, June 26

Where: Bunka Gakuen Fashion Museum
Shinjuku Bunka Quinto Building 1F, 3-22-7 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Admission fee: General 500 yen, high school and university students 300 yen, elementary and junior high school students 200 yen

※Free admission to people with disabilities + 1 attendant

 

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