| Period | July 23, 2024 (Tue) - September 23, 2024 (Mon) |
|---|---|
| Place | Room T3, Japanese Gallery (Honkan), Tokyo National Museum |
| Hours | 9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (30 minutes before closing) Open until 8:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. * These digital contents are available until 15 minutes before closing. * On August 30 and August 31, the Museum will close at 5:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Mondays (When Monday is a holiday, the Museum will be closed the following non-holiday weekday instead) |
| Admission | Free with regular exhibition ticket (Adults: ¥1,000 | University Students: ¥500 | High School Students and Persons under 18: Free) * Admission is also free with special exhibition tickets (same-day entry only). |
| Organizers | National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties, Tokyo National Museum, and Sharp Corporation |
| Multilingual Websites | 简体中文 https://cpcp.nich.go.jp/modules/r_free_page/index.php?id=117 한국어 https://cpcp.nich.go.jp/modules/r_free_page/index.php?id=118 |
| Tokyo National Museum Website | https://www.tnm.jp/?lang=en |
What do you think of when you hear the word “kimono”? Traditional Japanese attire? Formal wear reserved for weddings and other special occasions? It might surprise you to know that the kimono was considered casual wear during the Edo period (1603–1868). When there was no such thing as fast fashion, how did people order their everyday kimono? What if you could time travel to the Edo period and order your own customized kimono? In this exhibition, you can realize your imaginations using state-of-the-art technology.
Exhibition Highlights
You can explore the fashion trends of the Edo period at the exhibition venue by flipping through an exclusive Design Lookbook that incorporates real images from kimono design books. Two types of kimono are available for your virtual fitting, both of which are important treasures in the Tokyo National Museum’s collection. After choosing the design you want to try on, you can personalize it by selecting the main color and accent colors on a tablet. Come order your own special kimono!
Kimono design books, called hinagatabon, were filled with black-and-white woodblock prints of kimono designs accompanied by simple explanations describing color schemes and design techniques. During the Edo period (1603–1868), people placed orders at kimono shops while referencing these design books. Sometimes they changed the colors and techniques to suit their personal tastes. Design books were updated to reflect the latest trends, just like today’s fashion magazines.
Sample page from a design book
Newly Selected Kimono Designs (Shinsen On Hiinakata)
Edo period, 1667
Actual kimono (katabira) with patterns from the design book
Katabira (Summer Kimono) with Chrysanthemums and Hemp Palms
Edo period, 17th century
Kyoto National Museum
ColBase（https://colbase.nich.go.jp/）
You can try on your personalized kimono in a special virtual fitting room. If you strike the specified poses in front of the monitor, your image will appear on screen in a kimono! You can also hear about the highlights of the kimono you selected.
Learn about the techniques and the hidden meanings to enrich your experience when viewing other kimonos.
Venue
During your virtual fitting, you can snap a photo of your one-of-a-kind creation and share it on social media. People of the Edo period competed to impress each other with their keen kimono fashion sense, and now you can too! Don’t forget to add the hashtag #EdoKimonoYourWay!
Related Exhibition
Room 10 on the second floor of the Japanese Gallery (Honkan) is currently exhibiting actual kimonos and sashes (obi) worn by wealthy merchant-class women in the Edo period together with hair ornaments and ukiyo-e prints. You can imagine how they styled their fashion as you view the objects!
Summer Kimono (Katabira) with Fans, Snowflakes, Cosmetic Boxes, and Autumn Grasses
On View from June 25 to August 25
Long-Sleeved Kimono (Furisode) with a Large Chrysanthemum and Small Flowers
On View from August 27 to October 20
The Tokyo National Museum, National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties, and Sharp Corporation are creating new ways to engage with cultural heritage.