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  Kimono of  Floral Trail (1899) Primarily intended as practical guides to kimono making, hinagata-bon fashion plates were frequently enjoyed purely for their aesthetic and aspirational value. Examples from the Edo (1603-1867) and Meiji (1868-1912) periods offer wonderful insight into the...

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...

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...

The Poet Ono no Komachi by Nobukazu Watanabe (1891) The famed poetess Ono no Komachi (c.825-c.900) is seen wearing the Heian Period junihitoe kimono. Poetic names were given to different combinations of twelve coloured layers, which were skillfully selected to...

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...

Beauty in Summer Kimono by Kunichika Toyohara (1869)   The beauty in this print is shown wearing a light summer kimono. The summer months can be extremely hot in Japan so this young woman is trying to find the best...