Announcing the Upcoming Marubeni Gallery Exhibition
Exploring Fashion through Early Photographs: The Evolution of Women’s Kimono in the Late Edo and Meiji Periods (1853–1912)
Marubeni Corporation is pleased to announce the exhibition "Exploring Fashion through Early Photographs: The Evolution of Women’s Kimono in the Late Edo and Meiji Periods (1853–1912)" will be held from December 2, 2025, to January 24, 2026 at the Marubeni Gallery.
Exhibition Overview
While the Edo period (1603–1868) set the formal standards of traditional Japanese attire, the subsequent Meiji period (1868–1912) saw styles diversify significantly. Japan reopened to the world after about 250 years of near-total isolation, embracing new cultural influences.
This exhibition is the first modern effort to reconstruct typical fashion styles of that era by using early photographs paired with historical garments.
In the final years of the Edo period, known as the Bakumatsu period (1853–1868), Japan’s reopened ports led to a surge in cultural exchange with Europe and America. This influx of Western culture, including fashion, transformed Japanese society, breaking away from former formal dress codes.
As a result, women’s kimono designs evolved and diversified, creating a rich variety of vivid and innovative attire.
"The incoming wave of Western culture, including Western fashions, swept through Japanese society, ushering in a new era unconstrained by previous formal standards of attire."
Visitors can explore this dynamic transformation of Japanese women’s kimono through early photographic records and preserved garments during the exhibition period.
Author's Summary
This exhibition uniquely showcases the transformative journey of women's kimono fashion between 1853 and 1912, revealing the cultural fusion and innovation sparked by Japan's reopening to the world.