Clic for maximize

FROM THE “SNOW COUNTRY” KIMONO OF TOKAMACHI

The snow country or “Yukiguni” became famous because of novel title of Nobel Prize Japanese writer Yasunari KAWABATA. The snow country, china sea-side of the biggest isle of Japan where snow falls heavily, is well known for beautiful landscapes and for renowned thermal baths that make it very famous as holiday resort place. In this frame of natural beauties and in symbiosis with surroundings, Tokamachi has been producing kimono for centuries, in respect of ancient tradition.

The kimono word consists of 2 ideograms : KI                        (to dress) and MONO                     (thing)

Always perceived like an exotic item from Western people, it would be too much restrictive to define kimono only as Japanese National Costume, representing also a detailed range of cultural items and a refined sense of aesthetic sensitivity of Japanese. Besides, kimono represents a different way of dressing human body, by “enveloping” human figure with grace, and ennobling of dignity and meanings.

Differently from western clothes, kimono doesn’t emphasize body figure in details, which hides winding it with geometric modules, but rather points out body motions quintessence, as it would be expressed by an indefinite but essential brush-stroke of a calligrapher. Body-figure individualism is sucked in motions idealization and symbolism. Kimono also represents a many-coloured world with a wide range of accessories, aesthetic rules and colours matching, precise procedure of dressing and new design continuously proposed to make it more popular and trendy among young people.

The contemporary collection provided by Tokamachi will try to show now-days representation of symbolisms and graphic patterns tradition pointed out by before collection of old kimono on display, making us visible kimono’s design evolution. Transversely, through different kimono styles, design, and textile manufactures, this contemporary collection will lead to comprehend the meaning of kimono today in Japan, and inheritance of textile tradition for a Japanese town such as Tokamachi.

One part of collection will display ceremony kimono, emphasizing wedding one, dressed by Japanese in special social occasions or ritual circumstances that scan more important stages of Japanese people life. The second part will try to re-create a kimono showroom.                                                    

  Adua Castagno