Haori

Subject Matter:

The checkered exterior patterns are comprised of rice fields (ta) and well (ido) motifs. The inner lining contains cranes, hexagonal, and paulownia leaf motifs.

Tsumugi is a type of soft fabric woven from raw silk, often worn for casual occasions.  The typical tsumugi types include Ooshima, Yuki, Shinozawa, Ueda, named after its area of production.

The Haori is a traditional Japanese hip or thigh-length jacket with elongated sleeves that is worn over the kimono. The Haori typically includes an interior lining with a design that is otherwise hidden from view when worn. The haori was originally part of a man’s formal attire, but in the nineteenth century, female entertainers in Edo (modern Tokyo) adopted it as a cloak for outdoor wear in mild weather. By the end of the century, married women of the upper class adopted black crepe silk haori with family crests for formal, public occasions. For much of the twentieth century, the haori has been the standard outerwear for a woman who dresses in a kimono outside the home.

Physical Description:

Dark brown tsumugi haori with beige and blue checkered patterning with a silk off-white inner lining.

Usage Rights:

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