Японский придворный костюм Дзюни-хитоэ: история и символика слоёв

Historical layered clothing worn by Japanese court ladies

The , more formally known as the (五衣唐衣裳), is a style of formal court dress first worn in the Heian period by noble women and ladies in waiting at the Japanese Imperial Court. The jūnihitoe was composed of a number of kimono like robes, layered on top of each other, with the outer robes cut both larger and thinner to reveal the layered garments underneath. These robes were referred to as hitoe, with the innermost robe – worn as underwear against the skin – known as the kosode. Hakama were also worn as underwear with the kosode; over time, the two would gradually become outerwear, with the kosode eventually developing into the modern day kimono. Despite the name, the jūnihitoe varied in its exact number of layers. It also featured an [[obi (sash) (belt), though unlike modern obi, this was little more than a thin, cordlike length of fabric. The number of layers, and the type of layers, could alter the formality of a jūnihitoe outfit, with some accessories, such as overcoats and a long, skirt like train (known as the mō) only worn for special, formal occasions. Heian period court clothing paid special attention to colour symbolism, with the layered colour combinations of women's clothing known as kasane no irome. These colour combinations, referred to by names that reflected their corresponding season of wear, did not faithfully reproduce the exact colours of nature, but were instead intended to reproduce a feeling of the season. The jūnihitoe first appeared some time around the 10th century; however, by the Kamakura period, the number of layers worn by aristocratic ladies, even in court, had been reduced heavily. In the present day, the jūnihitoe is still worn by members of the Imperial House of Japan on important occasions.

An important accessory worn with the jūnihitoe was an elaborate fan, known as a hiōgi, made out of slats of cypress wood, commonly painted and tied together with long silk cords. This was used by women not only to cool down, but also as an important communication device; since women at the Heian period court were not allowed to speak face to face to male outsiders, a woman could hold her sleeve up or use her opened fan to shield herself from inquiring looks. Communication with potential suitors was generally conducted with women sat behind a sudare blind, with the suitor only able to see the sleeves – and thus the layers – of her jūnihitoe. This practice was prominent during the Heian period, and was described in the Tale of Genji.

Today, the jūnihitoe can normally only be seen in museums, movies, costume demonstrations, tourist attractions or at certain festivals. Only the Imperial Household of Japan still officially uses them at some important functions, usually the coronation of the Emperor and Empress, with men wearing a sokutai for these occasions. During the wedding of Empress Masako to the crown prince, the Empress wore jūnihitoe for the official ceremony. The jūnihitoe was also worn by Empress Michiko during the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Akihito in 1990. Though the Empress, the imperial princesses, and their ladies in waiting all wore the jūnihitoe, the style worn was a modified form from the Edo period, not the Heian style. For the 2019 enthronement of Emperor Naruhito, the women of the Imperial family and their ladies in waiting all wore jūnihitoe, while the Emperor, Crown Prince Akishino, and their gentlemen in waiting all wore sokutai. The Saiō Matsuri held every year in Meiwa, Mie showcases Heian period dress. They are also featured at the Aoi Matsuri in Kyoto.