Ancient Japanese attire
Rare Books and Special Collections is home to a series of pictorial books that vividly document the splendour of traditional Japanese dress. These works present an extraordinary visual record of the garments worn by imperial court women, male officials, and warriors. They offer insight into the aesthetics, social hierarchies, and ritual significance that are embedded in historical Japanese costume culture.
- 女官装束着用次第 Nyōkan shōzoku chakuyō shidai
- 近代女房装束抄 Kindai nyōbō shōzokushō
- 鎧着用次第 Yoroi chakuyō shidai
- 禮服着用圖 Reifuku chakuyōzu
- 装束着用圖 Shōzoku chakuyōzu
The book Nyōkan shōzoku chakuyō shidai (女官装束着用次第) (EA 9165 117) provides a detailed description of how court ladies dressed in multi-layer jūnihitoe robes and accompanying accessories, while Kindai nyōbō shōzokushō (近代女房装束抄) (EA 4151 38) showcases the textile patterns and motifs worn by women of various ranks in the imperial court.
In terms of male attire, Yoroi chakuyō shidai (鎧着用次第) (EA 4151 15)offers a step-by-step instruction on how warriors put on their undergarments and full armour. Reifuku chakuyōzu (禮服着用圖) (EA 9165 119) illustrates costumes worn by officials of different titles and ranks in ceremonial occasions. Shōzoku chakuyōzu (装束着用圖) (EA 9165 121) shows how outfits of the warrior class vary across official, ceremonial, and everyday contexts.
These illustrated books provide rare documentation of Japan’s court and warrior attire, serving as invaluable resources for both research and teaching. For researchers, they provide important evidence for the study in areas such as material culture, social hierarchy, aesthetics, and customs. For teaching, the detailed illustrations make the complex clothing system in ancient Japan easy to understand.
Books from the collection:
- 鎧着用次第 Yoroi chakuyō shidai EA 4151 15
- 近代女房装束抄 Kindai nyōbō shōzokushō EA 4151 38
- 女官装束着用次第 Nyōkan shōzoku chakuyō shidai EA 9165 117
- 禮服着用圖 Reifuku chakuyōzu EA 9165 119
- 装束着用圖 Shōzoku chakuyōzu EA 9165 121
Access these items
Rare Books and Special Collections (RBSC) can be accessed by staff, students and academics (using existing University credentials), as well as the general public (by registering for a free RBSC community membership).
These items can be located in the Library catalogue. Make a request to view an item, under "more options" (at least 2 business days in advance). Then visit the Rare Books and Special Collections Reading Room during opening hours to view.
Teach with this item
The Library's extensive Rare Books and Special Collections are available to support research and education, through activities including:
- Academic-led classes
- Library-led classes / Object Based Learning (OBL)
- using digitised content
Contact
Please email enquiries to cultural.collections@usyd.libanswers.com