The Tale of Genji embodies classical Japanese culture, and women's court attire is an iconic representation of it. In modern times we also have the formal court dress commonly known as the jūnihitoe ("12 layers") which connects to the past through an undercurrent of culture, but the two are quite different. Part 1 explores the relationship between etiquette and women through modern court attire. Part 2 provides an overview of the transition of women's court attire from the era of The Tale of Genji to the present day. Part 3 shows the process of reconstructing women's court attire of the Heian period from The Tale of Genji picture scrolls and reference materials, and explains how to analyze the Tale of Genji from the perspective of attire.
The Tale of Genji embodies classical Japanese culture, and women's court attire is an iconic representation of it. In modern times we also have the formal court dress commonly known as the jūnihitoe ("12 layers") which connects to the past through an undercurrent of culture, but the two are quite different. Part 1 explores the relationship between etiquette and women through modern court attire.
Part 2 provides an overview of the transition of women's court attire from the era of The Tale of Genji to the present day.
Part 3 shows the process of reconstructing women's court attire of the Heian period from The Tale of Genji picture scrolls and reference materials, and explains how to analyze the Tale of Genji from the perspective of attire.
