Kimono. Three centuries of Japanese fashion

The exhibition features unique kimonos from the 19th, 20th, and 21st century (more than 150 items from private collections), grouped by subject, purpose of use, as well as engravings, scrolls with paintings, books, and accessories. Each fragment of the exhibition is accompanied by explanatory texts. For example, visitors will have a chance to find out about the difference between the kuro-tomesode (black ceremonial kimono of a married woman) and furisode (ceremonial clothes of an unmarried young lady), iro-tomesode (colorful ceremonial kimono) and tsumugi (casual kimono). Kyiv residents will learn what (according to the etiquette) is suitable for social visits, and what is good only for leisure, how Japanese women dressed their infants for the first visit to a temple, and what patterns were used on kimonos worn on each particular occasion. They will also discover why dragons on Japanese kimonos are small and fragmented (as opposed to Chinese kimonos with dragons that take up the whole outfit) and why the patterns on the male kimonos are on the inside. Visitors of the exhibition will also have a chance to see the outfit for ritual suicide (seppuku) of a Samurai and appreciate the elegance of a geisha dress, as well as illustrative decorations on a costume of a “Noh” theater actor.

Showcases with handmade dolls attract a great deal of attention. These dolls not only demonstrate traditional Japanese clothing in miniature, but also present complete thematic compositions – scenes from the life of the characters.

Exposition has specially designed multimedia attributes: video panorama, slide show about the art and traditions of Japan, and audio accompaniment.

By the way, on Saturdays and Sundays visitors of the exhibition “Kimono. Three Centuries of Japanese Fashion” will have a chance to listen to lectures on the history and culture of Japan, attend master classes in the traditional fine arts, learn calligraphy and origami, and also see martial arts demonstrations. Experts, creative teams from Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and members of the cultural center “San” came to the event at a special invitation.

The exhibition will be open in Kyiv Planetarium until January 15.