#shakkyo

[tanuki-kimono]

Celebratory outfit perfect for New Year season, featuring an antique kimono depicting shishi (lions) on a bridge - maybe a reference to auspicious play Shakkyô. The beautiful pines nicely frame the main motif, and the temari balls add some whimsy.

Kimono is paired with a romantic obi showing yuki-mochi (snow covered) gosho-guruma (ox cart) and late winter/early spring plants (ume/plum blossom, kiku/chrysanthemum, nandina/heavenly bamboo, suisen/daffodil).

[tanuki-kimono]

Antique kimono outfit, featuring a lively magenta kimono with botan (peony), ryuusui (running water), and kiri (paulownia), paired with a romantic blue butterfly and botan obi. I love how the purple haori (with tsutsuji/azalea in yukiwa/snowflakes) picks the blue tones of that glorious butterfly!

Botan+ryuusui+tsutsuji are patterns usually worn during April, while kiri is an auspicious all-seasons one. I love how the obi pairs botan+butterfly, it’s maybe a nod to the Shakkyo (the stone bridge) noh play ^^

[tanuki-kimono]

Matching antique kimono and obi, depicting shishi (lions) frolicking among luscious botan (peonies). This pattern association hints at noh play Shakkyo (the stone brigde).

This pattern association might be my all time favourite, I just find it so powerful!

[tanuki-kimono]

Antique kimono depicting shishi lions frolicking among botan/peony by a dramatic waterfall (seen on)

Those motifs are among my favourites. Shishi are considered king among animals and botan queen among flowers. But most of all those two reminds me of the beautiful “Shakkyo” noh play and the “Kagami Jishi” kabuki play famous for its dynamic lion dance:

[picture from]

(Kagamijishi is on youtube with english commentary - but quality isn’t great :S)

[tanuki-kimono]

Breathtaking Oiran’s lavish uchikake coats (seen on)

Op doesn’t stress if those were actually worn by Oiran or used in Kabuki plays by onnagata in Oiran roles, but I love the shakkyo inspired one (lion guarding paradise bridge), and the hagoromo (heaven maiden’s feather robe)

[bethshistoricaldresses]

Kimono, Japan ca. 1860-1880 ℹ Outer #kimono (uchikake) depicting a figure of a bridge across a river gorge, with shishi (mythical lions) and two figures below among peonies. Satin silk with appliqué and embroidery. Lining of polychrome figured silk and red cotton. ℹ The motif on this extremely exuberant outer kimono ( #uchikake ) is a theatrical one which relates to the Chinese legend of #Shakkyo (Stone Bridge). ℹ This refers to a bridge over a steep gorge near the summit of Mount Seiryo which is reputed to lead to the #Buddhist paradise and which is guarded by shishi (mythical lions). ℹ The #kabuki play adapted from this story culminates in a dramatic shakkyomono, or lion dance. The figure on the bridge is a kabuki actor who embodies the spirit of the shishi, while below actual shishi are depicted with other figures surrounded by peonies. ℹ It is possible, therefore, that the uchikake was worn for a kabuki theatre performance. Costumes worn on stage certainly needed to be flamboyant and eye-catching, but the motifs were not normally so literal. ℹ It is more likely, therefore, that this garment belonged instead to a high-ranking #courtesan ℹ The three figures, shishi and peonies are composed of satin and crepe silk, dyed in bright colours, which have been applied to the black ground and then outlined with couched gold-wrapped thread. ℹ The bridge, clouds, water, leaves and other elements are also in couched gold embroidery. The design is padded in places to add extra three-dimensionality, while the eyes of the shishi are of glass as are those of the main figure on the bridge who also has actual hair, from an animal, and buttons of metal. #history #museumcollection #antiquetextile #instamuseum #museumoninstagram #antiquesilk #historicaldress #costumehistory #fashion #historicalfashion #historicalclothing #dresshistory #fashionhistory #historicalcostume #fashionhistorian #19thcentury #19thcenturyfashion #japan #japanese #japanesekimono #japanesecostume Source: The MET https://www.instagram.com/p/B2ixIgcgHpu/?igshid=q0t64nps5ig5