Clothes and Accessories

In Japan, both men and women wore kimono until the late nineteenth century.  By the turn of the century kimono were being worn alongside Western clothes, but nowadays they are usually reserved for special occasions.  Traditionallygeta, a type of wooden sandal or clog, were worn with kimono.  A wide variety of dying and embroidery techniques were used on kimono to achieve a dazzling array of colours and patterns, including geometric shapes, animals, landscapes and natural  themes.
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Mon

Mon (crests) were sometimes added to kimono, especially formal ones.  Family mon were used on clothes or flags for identification, like a coat of arms or a family tartan in Scotland.  Most are circular and have an abstracted design in the centre, often based on plants or animals.  Actors, shops and organisations designed their own mon.

Inrō

Kimono do not have pockets so men hung their belongings, including inrō, tobacco pouches, and money pouches from their belts. However, women wore a wide obi (belt), which was unsuitable for hanging objects from.  Instead, they sometimes tucked small items such as fans into their collar or sleeves.

Inrō are lacquered oval shaped boxes made up of several compartments used for carrying seals or medicine.  A variety of lacquer techniques including low, high, sprinkled, and carved lacquer are used to decorate the surface.  There were laws against ostentatious display, but inrō were small enough to escape notice and therefore a lot of money and attention was lavished on them as a way for townsmen to display their wealth and taste.

Netsuke

A small bead called a nojime was used to tighten the cords and keep the compartments of an inrō from opening.  Netsuke (toggles) were attached to inrō by silk cords to prevent them from sliding out of the belt.  Originally netsuke were plain and functional but they became more elaborate and intricate to display the skill of the carver.

2 Fmedia2 F11724912 F1957 38 22 a
Mirrors (ekagami)
  Makers of ekagami (a mirror with a handle) had a high status because a mirror is one of The Imper
2 Fmedia2 F11729512 F0199 75 a
Okimono (ornament) (1)
  Although it is slightly damaged this okimono (ornament), probably from the late nineteenth centur
2 Fmedia2 F11731462 F1954 52 33 a
Lacquer box
  This eye-catching lacquer box is lavishly decorated in gold and red.  The tree is created using a
2 Fmedia2 F11731262 F0199 49 a
Pipe (kiseru)
  This bamboo kiseru (pipe) features a design of gilt and copper bamboo leaves on the silver end pi
2 Fmedia2 F11730562 F1954 52 13 a
Inrō (6)
  This unusual inrō has only one large compartment rather than the standard two to six small compar
2 Fmedia2 F11730462 F1954 52 14 a
Inrō (5)
  This gold lacquered inrō has a texture imitating a leather pouch. There is a hare on the front, p
2 Fmedia2 F11730362 F1954 52 19 a
Inrō (4)
  Inrō (container for holding medicine or ink and seals) showing monkeys in a landscape.    
2 Fmedia2 F11730162 F0199 59 a
Inrō (3)
  A wooden inrō with inlaid mother of pearl birds and a netsuke (toggle) of a laughing figure holdi
2 Fmedia2 F11729962 F1954 52 16 a
Inrō (2)
  This wooden inrō has a phoenix design.  The netsuke (toggle) of two monkeys, who may be fighting
2 Fmedia2 F11729812 F1954 52 18 a
Inrō (1)
  This black lacquered inrō with its surface decoration, including a willow tree, in gold would hav
2 Fmedia2 F11729662 F1954 52 12 a
Inrō
  This inrō (container for holding medicine or ink and seals) has carved floral motifs and a netsuk
2 Fmedia2 F11729012 F1954 52 30 a
Okimono (ornament)
This group of ivory fish with mother of pearl eyes and carved scales is probably an okimono - a type
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