Kimono—Japanese Dress

Tourist Library 13

Kimono—Japanese Dress
by Kenichi Kawakatsu

Tourist Library 13
Board of Tourist Industry, Japanese Government Railways, 1936

[cover-front]

[front-00B-R]

[front-00C-L]

TOURIST LIBRARY

Volumes already published

1. TEA CULT OF JAPAN By Y. Fukukita, A. B.

2. JAPANESE NOH PLAYS By Prof. T. Nogami

3. SAKURA (Japanese Cherry) By M. Miyoshi, D. Sc.

4. JAPANESE GARDENS By Prof. M. Tatsui

5. HIROSHIGE AND JAPANESE LANDSCAPES By Prof. Yone Noguchi

6. JAPANESE DRAMA By B. T. I.

7. JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE By Prof. H. Kishida, D. Sc

8. WHAT IS SHINTŌ? By Prof. G. Katō, D. Litt

9. CASTLES IN JAPAN By Prof. S. Ōrui, D. Litt and Prof. M. Toba

10. HOT SPRINGS IN JAPAN By Prof. K. Fujinami, M. D.

11. FLORAL ART OF JAPAN By Issōtei Nishikawa

12. CHILDREN’S DAYS IN JAPAN By T. Iwadō, M. A.

13. KIMONO (Japanese Dress) By Kenichi Kawakatsu

Volumes in preparation

JAPANESE FOOD By Prof. Kaneko Tezuka

MUSIC IN JAPAN By Katsumi Sunaga

JŪDŌ By Dr. Jigorō Kanō

BUDDHISM IN JAPAN By Prof. K. Yabuki, D. Litt.

[frontispiece]

Colour plate of a person seen from behind, the black hair drawn back and rolled into a loose low knot at the nape, against a deep blue-green ground with pink blossoms and yellow-green leaves on thin hanging branches at the upper left. The garment is yellow with large white shapes and a red and white butterfly-like shape on the sleeve. At the waist a broad band in pale grey-blue, patterned with large orange, dark blue and white flower and feather shapes, is tied in a large bow at the back. The lower garment is pale pink, with a thin orange line down its right edge. — MODERN STYLE OBI ADDS GAY NOTE AND PERFECT HARMONY TO SIMPLE, FASHIONABLE COLOUR SCHEME OF SPRING COSTUME

[front-00D-R]

KIMONO

BY
KENICHI KAWAKATSU

BOARD OF TOURIST INDUSTRY
JAPANESE GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS

[front-00E-L]

[front-00E-R]

It is a common desire among tourists to learn something of the culture of the countries they visit, as well as to see their beautiful scenery. To see is naturally easier than to learn, but flying visits merely for sightseeing furnish neither the time nor opportunity for more than a passing acquaintance with the culture of any foreign people. This is specially true of Japan and her people.

The Board of Tourist Industry recognizes both the obligation and the difficulty of providing foreign tourists with accurate information regarding the various phases of Japan’s culture. It is therefore endeavouring to meet this obligation, as far as possible, by publishing this series of brochures.

The present series will, when completed, consist of more than a hundred volumes, each dealing with a different subject, but all co-ordinated. By studying the entire series, the foreign student of Japan will gain an adequate knowledge of the unique culture that has evolved in this country through the ages.

For those who wish to follow up these studies with a closer investigation of more erudite works, we append bibliographies, which we can recommend as authoritative guides for study.

Board of Tourist Industry,
Japanese Government Railways

[front-00F-L]

The Board of Tourist Industry acknowledges with sincere gratitude its indebtedness to the Shufunotomo, the Tokyo Asahi and the Society for International Cultural Relations, which so generously helped to provide the photographs shown in this brochure.

[front-00F-R]

Page

I. Monsieur B speaks of the Japanese Kimono ......................................... 9

II. History of the Kimono .................... 15

III. Present-day Kimono ........................ 28

IV. Dialogue on the Obi ........................ 39

V. Monsieur B’s Memoranda on the Haori, Happi and Yukata ........................ 56

VI. An Evening’s Talk on Dyeing and Weaving ......................................... 64

VII. Sketch Made on a Certain Day ...... 74

VIII. Thoughts on the Artistry of Line ... 79

IX. Moving Paintings............................... 86

Bibliography.......................................... 101