Japanese Traditional Costume - Behind the Scenes at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston!

This past week I had a really great opportunity to look at some traditional Japanese garments up close. My professor brought me to the Museum of Fine Arts of Boston to go behind the scenes and see some of the historical Japanese clothing they keep in their archives.

Behind the scenes of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

 

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston boasts the largest collection of Japanese artifacts under one roof outside of Japan. Included in this is a dazzling collection of traditional Japanese Costume, the oldest which I was shown dating back to the 18^th century, all the way up to clothing worn around World War II. After reading a lot into Japanese fashion, including traditional wear, in my studies, it was fascinating to be able to see some samples up close.

 

Kimono used as outerwear currently on display at the museum.
Picture courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

The textiles archive of the Museum of Fine Arts was a small maze of large metal cabinets, that when opened reveled shelves upon shelves of historical textile artifacts. Given that kimono, the traditional costume of Japan, are stored flat, the shelves that the Japanese garments were stored in were close together, and many shelves had more than one garment stored on them, stacked one on top of the other.

 

Above pictures courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

What are largely interesting about kimono are their textiles, patterns, or embroidery. While there are different types of traditional wear in Japan, they are generally made in the same or similar shapes. So, what makes kimono or other forms of traditional wear interesting is the detailing of the garments themselves.

Up close view of a dyed, gold embroidered kimono. Picture courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

 

Full view of a kimono in storage. Picture courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

 

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston certainly does have a beautiful collection of Japanese textiles. One of the things the museum was able to show me was a Yogi, which is a sleeping garment. Shaped like a large kimono, and made from many layers of fabric for warmth, a Yogi is similar to a large, wearable sleeping bag. Another interesting thing I was shown were two Kesa, or Buddhist monk robes. Kesa were usually constructed from discarded fabric. The ones the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston houses were fashioned through quilting the pieces of fabric together. However, the Kesa there are embroidered by so much gold that it's amazing to think that they belonged to Buddhist monks, who live lives of mendicancy, relying on charitable donations.

Kesa, embroidered with gold. Picture courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Full view of a kesa. Picture courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

 

As the museum has such a large collection of traditional Japanese garments, it was fascinating to be able to see up close the difference between garments worn by the upper classes, and those worn by the everyday people of Japan. For example, just looking at the costumes I was shown, the textiles of the garments worn by wealthy citizens (likely belonging to the families of Shogun), and the textiles of clothing worn by the indigenous Ainu people of the northern Hokkaido region, as well as those worn by the peasant class, were in sharp contrast with one another. The garments worn by upper classes were often made of silk materials and embroidered with gold, while the clothing worn by most members of Japanese society were made of hemp or cotton, and were often colored with indigo dye.

 

Embroidered silk sample. Picture courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

 

Cotton, indigo dyed sample. Picture courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

 

 

Along with kimono I was also a variety of Fukusa, textiles used for wrapping gifts, or to purify equipment during the tea ceremony. The museum also had a sample of a traditional dyeing method stored in their archives.

A Fukusa, embroidered with gold thread. Picture courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

 

Dyeing method sample. Picture courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

One of the most fascinating pieces I was able to view while behind the scenes at the Museum of Fine Arts were children's kimono from the second world war, featuring war time propaganda, such as prints of kamikaze jets. I was interested in was the reaction I received from people after telling them about these pieces. Responses of people ranged from mildly disturbed to vaguely horrified. But I think what people sometimes don't understand is that fashion and textiles are a reflection of not only culture, but history and current events. Because of this I believe these World War II kimono to be some of the most important pieces the museum has in its collection of Japanese traditional garments, and likely some of the most fascinating things I was shown during my visit there.

 

Kamikaze print on a child's kimono. Picture courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

I would like to conclude by thanking my teacher, Professor Stoehrer, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston for this amazing opportunity. Not many students are given the chance to independently go behind the scenes at a museum to see up close what they are studying, and I'm very grateful to have been given the chance to do so.

 

A Noh robe currently on display at the museum. Picture courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.