Kimono Exhibition

Meiji Period Hairstyles by Ginko Adachi (1885) With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Japan opened its borders to the world and numerous outer influences started pouring into the country. Foreign styles and designs began to impact Japanese fashion; one of...

Dancer in Yellow by Kaoru Kawano (1950s) This charming modern print portrays a dancing young beauty wearing a bright yellow kimono. A modern girl, she sports a fashionable hairstyle characteristic of the post-war era. Kawano used the woodgrain of the...

Beauties Sewing by Chikanobu Toyohara (1885)  Efficiently cut from a single bolt of cloth, kimono have always been remarkably sustainable, producing minimal waste. The triptych by Chikanobu Toyohara (1838-1912) contains a series of cartouches (top) that show patterns for cutting narrow...

Courtesan Nagao with Attendants by Sencho (c. 1840) Courtesans (oiran), in defiance of laws prohibiting sex workers from wearing extravagant fashions, donned intentionally impractical outfits as visual representations of their influence. The obi belt of an oiran was always tied at the front, which...

Two Maiko by Gekko Ogata (1880) Tying the obi skillfully is an important aspect of kitsuke, the art of wearing a kimono. There are many different styles of obi belts, which can be tied in many different ways, depending on occasion, social position, or personal...

Working Woman With Tasuki by Kunichika Toyohara (1870) Since kimono were worn by all echelons of society, practicality was often a necessary consideration. For working people needing to keep their long sleeves from becoming soiled or damaged, a cord or...