| Japan occupies an archipelago that stretches for | | | | this is why women would whiten their faces with rice |
| 2,400 km, isolated by the sea from the rest of the | | | | powder. Eyes and mouth were accentuated. Prior to |
| world. Its geographic location, as well as the long | | | | the Meiji Restoration, men also painted their faces with |
| periods of its political and cultural seclusion, have fueled | | | | a thick paste of white powder. On the other hand, |
| the conception of its uniqueness. Yet Japan has largely | | | | black symbolized nobility and it was an ancient tradition |
| been influenced by neighboring countries, especially | | | | for men to blacken their teeth. |
| China, which prided itself on an ancient and highly | | | | Headdress was not popular, for women's hair was |
| evolved civilization when Japan was still living in the | | | | styled in elaborate fashioned coiffures, adorned with a |
| Stone Age. It was only natural that Japan would seek | | | | variety of pins and ornaments, kogai, as well as |
| guidance from its neighbor in all matters of technology, | | | | elaborate combs, kushi. Japanese women wore no |
| religion, economy, and even fashion. | | | | other jewelry. |
| Japanese political structure was also influenced by | | | | Women from the upper class could go out in public |
| Chinese traditions, though rather ineffectively. Prior to | | | | and attend a limited range of leisure activities including |
| the 7th century AD, Japan was divided up among a | | | | the kabuki theater, where one could see and be seen. |
| number of clans, presided over by an inept emperor. | | | | Both men and women wore their best attire and |
| Then, in 645 AD, the Fujiwara clan rose to power and | | | | would change clothing several times during the |
| proceeded to forge Japan's destiny. | | | | day-long performances. On the other hand, the kabuki |
| Junihitoe and the Heian era | | | | costumes were one of the most striking aspects of |
| By the 9th century the powerful chief of the Fujiwara | | | | the performances. They often set fashion trends in |
| clan had been made regent for the reigning emperor. | | | | Japan. |
| The Heian era (794-1185 AD) had began. Known as | | | | The Tokugawa shogunate solidified the power of |
| the first great peak of Japanese culture, the Heian | | | | shoguns over the stratified social system. They ruled |
| period was characterized by courtly elegance. Indeed, | | | | over the distinct classes of warriors, farmers, |
| the aristocracy took great interest in clothing. Japanese | | | | craftsmen, and merchants, officially in the name of the |
| noblewomen wore the junihitoe or "12 unlined robes". It | | | | emperor, but in fact had stripped him of his power. |
| consisted of twelve unlined garments of different | | | | Settled in their habits and traditions, shoguns believed |
| colors, worn one atop the other in such a manner that | | | | that Japan was immune to change and external |
| a narrow band of each robe was visible at the neck, | | | | influence. Their world, however, was already changing. |
| sleeves and hem. | | | | European culture and Christianity with its teachings of |
| The layered color patterns of the junihitoe reflected | | | | universal equality would prove subversive to the |
| status, seasons, and virtues, among other things. The | | | | established social system. |
| art of dressing was more highly regarded than moral | | | | In the 17th century, Japan initiated a persecution of |
| values and personal traits. It revealed the wearer's | | | | Christians and Japan withdrew from the outside world. |
| artistry and character. | | | | The self-imposed economic and political isolation, which |
| Under the junihitoe, women wore the kosode or "small | | | | lasted for over two hundred years, was a time of |
| sleeves". The T-shaped undergarment made of white | | | | prosperity and peace. Unfortunately, it would have dire |
| silk was composed of two rectangular pieces of fabric | | | | consequences. When in the 19th century westerners |
| sewn together at the center back and at the edges. | | | | returned with modern weapons, Japan's obsolete |
| Two additional pieces of fabric were added to the | | | | military presented no challenge. |
| front. The collar and the sleeves, with a small opening | | | | Japan had witnessed the role Europeans had played in |
| for the wrists, were attached at the end. Kosode, the | | | | the forceful transformation of China and adopted a |
| forerunner of the kimono, had to be fitted to the body | | | | program of radical change of their own will. Unlike |
| every time it was put on. | | | | China, they had the means to change. The Tokugawa |
| The Heian noblemen wore the dsode or "large | | | | era had brought economic success, which in its turn |
| sleeves". The large robe had wide sleeves with large | | | | had led to a diversified society. The port of Osaka and |
| wrist openings and was worn with long, full trousers. | | | | Edo had been transformed into thriving metropolis and |
| Outside the court, people lived a simple, modest life. | | | | change was already in the air before U.S. Naval |
| Peasants could afford only base fibers and the | | | | Commander Matthew Perry forced open relations |
| majority had never seen the fine silks worn by nobility. | | | | with the Japanese in 1853. |
| The lavish existence of the elite was met by much | | | | The Kimono and the Meiji Restoration |
| criticism from the less privileged provincial clan leaders, | | | | In 1867, the Tokugawa shogunate came to an end and |
| which eventually would lead to the fading of the | | | | power was restored to the emperor Mutsuhito. The |
| Fujiwara. | | | | Meiji ("enlightened rule") Restoration had begun. The |
| Kosode and the Edo era | | | | Japanese government aimed for equality with the |
| In the period 1185-1333 AD power passed to the | | | | West and knew it would have to acieve it on the |
| military dictators known as Shogun. Officially they ruled | | | | West's terms. In the first five years Japan adopted a |
| in the emperor's name, but were in fact independent. | | | | prefectural system of administration, a postal system, |
| Their military retainers were the samurai. Both shogun | | | | a daily newspaper, a ministry of education, a railroad, |
| and samurai lived according to the Zen Buddhist ideals | | | | the Gregorian calendar and military conscription. The |
| and to dress simply was a virtue. The volume of | | | | samurai warriors joined either the army, under |
| clothing was reduced layer by layer and the kosode, | | | | Prussians' leadership, or the navy, advised by the |
| that was once an undergarment, became the shogun's | | | | British. Young men were sent abroad to learn the |
| outer attire. On the other hand, fighting armor was far | | | | western ways. |
| from simple. | | | | One of the innovations adopted from the West was |
| Kyoto natives dressed in the colorful robes and armor | | | | the tailor-made dress. Western-style military uniforms |
| of Japan's famous samurai. With the rise of the | | | | and Western-style business suits were worn in public; |
| samurai, the kosode gained popularity, as it symbolized | | | | they, however, had no place in the privacy of the |
| the warriors' humble origins and was more suited to an | | | | Japanese home. Traditional-style architectural buildings |
| equestrian, military life. | | | | are carpeted with tatami mats and many activities |
| By the 16th century, articles made in Japan began to | | | | such as sleeping and eating are performed on the |
| appear in Western markets and European merchants | | | | floor. The fitted-costume was inappropriate and rather |
| became fascinated with the mysterious lands where | | | | uncomfortable. Instead, Japanese wore the loosely |
| such magnificent objects were made. The Portuguese | | | | sashed version of today's kimono. |
| were the first Europeans to arrive in 1543. They | | | | Kimono or "object of wear" was the word that in the |
| brought with them food crops from the Americas as | | | | late 1800s replaced the centuries-old term kosode. An |
| well as muskets, which would help put an end to the | | | | accepted explanation for that change of terms is that |
| baronial wars. A new power emerged, the Tokugawa | | | | faced with the cultural shock of finding themselves |
| shogunate (1615-1868), whose capital was moved to | | | | dressed in western attire, the Japanese felt compelled |
| Edo, today's Tokyo. | | | | to find a new name for the historic robe. |
| It was in the latter part of the Edo period that the | | | | Bridal attire includes a white under-kimono, with a black |
| kosode's elaboration reached its peak. This was mainly | | | | kimono or five-crested haori with haori cords for the |
| due to the advances in cloth-making techniques such | | | | groom worn over a hakama, or long pleated skirt of |
| as kasuri (ikat) or resist-dyeing; shibori (tie-dye), in which | | | | white Sendai silk. The bride wears an uchikake, or |
| areas of cloth are tied off before dyeing; yuzen, | | | | quilted robe, often with a pattern of cranes, waves, |
| paste-resist dyed cloth patterned with freehand, | | | | and pines, as symbols of happiness, with an |
| brush-applied dyes; and shiro-age, in which the design is | | | | under-kimono and an elaborately tied obi. |
| reserved entirely by paste-resist dyeing. Designers and | | | | The patterning of each type of kimono is strictly |
| artisans also contributed to the elegance and beauty | | | | categorized. Styles include the dan ganwri, which |
| of the kosode by embellishing the monochrome | | | | consists in alternating blocks of similar motifs; the |
| garment with intricate, colorful surface designs. | | | | katami gawariy in which the right and left halves of the |
| Women's cosode differed in style according to their | | | | kimono bear a different design; or sode gawariy in |
| social status; Young, single women wore the colorful | | | | which each sleeve is differently patterned. Nature is |
| furisode, a version of the kosode with long, hanging | | | | exquisitely present in motifs such as a blizzard of |
| sleeves. The older women's kosode allowed for | | | | blown blossoms, flowing water patterns, or scattered |
| prescribed changes in sleeve length, patterning and | | | | maple leaves on pine bark. |
| coloration. | | | | Female underclothes are just as complex. They include |
| The popular sash that holds the kosode in place is | | | | a thin camisole with short sleeves known as |
| called the obi. Prior to the 1680s, this had been a | | | | hadajuban, a wraparound slip of a light fabric - the |
| narrow, flat tie or rope-like braid. It was only in the first | | | | susoyoke, and a third under-kimono made from a light, |
| decades of the 19th century that the obi expanded to | | | | white fabric. Long-stringed rolls, pads, towels and |
| reach from under the bust to below the abdomen. | | | | padded vests are used to even out any defects of |
| Footwear did not differ for men and women. It | | | | the body line so the kimono will hang perfectly. |
| consisted of the hemp sandals or wooden clogs | | | | The five-crested haori is another aspect of the |
| known as the geta, and the flat straw-soled sandals, | | | | tradition lying behind this formal attire. The crests refer |
| known as the zori. They were all secured to the foot | | | | to the little circular motifs printed or woven into the |
| with thongs and worn with white cotton socks or tabi. | | | | haori cloth, representing a person's clan ancestry. |
| The okobo are tall wooden salad worn by the maiko | | | | Japanese heraldry is older than European and |
| during their apprenticeship. They vary in color according | | | | comprises 400 basic family crests, with over 20,000 |
| to the maiko status. | | | | sublineages. |
| Pale skin was aesthetically pleasing and sought after, | | | | |