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Aesthetic Evolution: The History of Japanese Fashion
A broad history of Japanese dress, from early plant-fiber garments and court layering to the kimono era, Western clothing and modern street style.
Living Traditions
Dress and Textiles
Fashion, kimono, textiles and carried objects.
Furisode, Tomesode and the Types of Kimono
Furisode, tomesode, houmongi, komon and more: how different kimono styles are traditionally matched to occasions, ages and levels of formality.
Geta, Zori and Traditional Footwear
A plain guide to geta, zori, waraji and tabi: their shapes, materials and the occasions on which traditional Japanese footwear is worn.
Indigo Dyeing and the Blue of Japanese Cloth
How indigo became the everyday blue of Japanese cloth: the plant, the fermented dye vat, its history in workwear and its enduring role in folk textiles.
The Evolution of Japanese Textiles: From Traditional to Modern Fabrics
A look at Japanese dyeing, pattern traditions and fabric types, and how imported dyes, machine looms and synthetic fibers changed textiles in modern times.
The Significance of the Japanese Fan in Japanese Culture and Tradition
How fans are used in Japanese dance, theatre, tea gatherings, weddings and everyday gesture, and the meanings often attached to them.
The Significance of the Japanese Fan: A Study of its History and Significance
The history and forms of the Japanese fan, from early court folding fans to rigid uchiwa, war fans and iron-ribbed fans, and how each is built.
The Significance of the Japanese Obi: A Study of its History and Significance
The history of the obi sash, from a simple tie to a wide ornamental belt, its main types and its role in holding together and defining kimono dress.
The Significance of the Japanese Umbrella: A Study of its History and Significance
How Japanese oil-paper umbrellas are built from bamboo and washi, how they arrived and spread, and their place in dress, festivals and the stage.
The Significance of the Kimono in Japanese Wedding Traditions
An introduction to bridal kimono such as shiromuku, uchikake and hikifurisode, the groom's formal dress, guest attire and the symbolism behind them.
Yukata: The Summer Kimono
What a yukata is, how it differs from a kimono, how it is worn, and why the light cotton robe belongs to summer festivals, fireworks and onsen towns.
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