Hitoe kosode, kimono with themes alluding to eight Noh theatre plays
late Edo period

• JAPANESE

Hitoe is a light kimono with a lining, worn in spring and autumn. This highly decorated example displays the sophisticated tastes of its wearer, most likely a member of the educated samurai class with a passion for Noh theatre. Pictorial details reference plays: Hachinoki (Potted Trees) is represented by the thatched hut and pine trees in large pots; Kosode Soga is represented by an archer’s hat and arrows; Kakitsubata (Irises) is represented by the zigzag bridge over an iris pond; Shakkyō (Stone Bridge) is represented by peony flowers and a dancing shishi lion dog, and Kogō (The Courtier) is represented by the bamboo garden gate.