Japanese kimono exhibition

7 August 2011.

From the I am Expat site in the Netherlands:

Kawaii Kimono

Exhibitions / Leiden
02 June – 14 August, 10am – 5pm (Tue-Sun)
A:
Sieboldhuis, Rapenburg 19, 2311 GE
Leiden

The unique collection of children’s kimonos of Kazuko Nakano consists of beautiful creations from 16th-20th century. With this exhibition a look into the life of wealthy Japanese families and their love for children is granted.

Clothing is an important part of Japanese social life. Since the 16th century special kimonos were designed for children from prosperous families. These silk or cotton kimonos are decorated with turtles, pine trees, bamboos and cranes, symbolising a long and happy life. Girls’ kimonos often show additional symbols for a good marriage and fertility, while boys’ kimonos are usually decorated with symbols for bravery, wealth and success. The clothes show how much luck and love the mother and family wanted to bestow on their child.

From the Sieboldhuis site:

The exhibition is extended with two weeks and will last until August 28, 2011.

This exhibition has been in Paris earlier. And in Basel in Switzerland.

In Leiden, there was a video show at the exhibition. It was not about children’s kimonos, but about how an adult woman should officially put on a kimono. I counted at least nine times that a tie or sash was tied. Very easy to make mistakes in this, and it takes a long time.

These two videos were shown at the Sieboldhuis.

Presumably, mainly aristocratic ladies with maidservants helping them with dressing used to do this every day in earlier times in Japan. And maybe upmarket geishas.

Today, kimonos are not worn as often in Japan as in earlier times.