Jūnihitoe

[1] It also featured an obi (belt), though unlike modern version, this was little more than a thin, cordlike length of fabric.

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.

Heian ladies commonly slept in the innermost layers of their jūnihitoe, the hakama and kosode, using them as a form of pajamas.

During the Heian period, a woman sat hidden behind a sudare screen with only the lower part of the body and sleeve edges visible to an outsider.

The appropriate use of these colours, and the point at which one changed one's robes, gave an indication of the cultured and refined taste of the wearer.

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.

[citation needed] 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.

The Saiō Matsuri held every year in Meiwa, Mie showcases Heian period dress.