wearing a jūnihitoe for her coronation 1926]] The is an extremely elegant and highly complex kimono that was only worn by court-ladies in Japan. Literally translated, it means "twelve-layer robe". The older term, still used by scholars but not widely recognised in mainstream Japan, is Karaginu Mo. This is in reference to its Chinese coat (Karaginu) and apron-like train (Mo), the defining parts of the costume.

The jūnihitoe started to appear around the 10th century during the Heian Era. The various layers are silk garments. The innermost garment is made of white silk, followed by other layers which have various names, which are finally closed off by a final layer or coat. The total weight could add up to 20 kilograms.

The colours and the arrangements of the layers are very important. The colours have poetic names, such as "crimson plum of the spring". The only place where the layers are discernible is around the sleeves and the neck. The arrangements of the layers and their colours were a good indication to any outsider what taste and what rank the lady had. Apart from their robes, Japanese court ladies also wore their hair very long, only cut at the sides of their faces in a layered fashion; the longer hair was sometimes worn tied back.

An important accessory was an elaborate fan, which could be tied together by a rope when folded. This was used by the lady not only to cool herself, since it could get very hot, but it was also an important communication device. Since a lady was not allowed to speak face-to-face to a male outsider, she could hold her sleeve up or use her opened fan to shield herself from inquiring looks. Communication to a suitor had to follow with her normally hiding behind the sudare (screen or blinds) in any case. The suitor could only see the sleeves of her jūnihitoe that were peeking underneath the blinds. This practice was prominent during the Heian-Era, being frequently and accurately described in the Tale of Genji (jp: Genji monogatari).

The movement in such a robe could be difficult due to its weight. Ladies actually slept in their jūnihitoe sometimes, using it as a form of pajamas. Layers could be shed or kept, depending on the season and the night temperatures. During the Muromachi-Era, however, the dress was sometimes reduced to five robes (known as a "five-layer robe").

Today the jūnihitoe can only be seen in museums or in movies. Production of jūnihitoe has almost died out. These robes are priceless and are one of the most expensive items of Japanese clothing. Only the Imperial Household still uses them at some important functions. During the wedding of Masako, Crown Princess of Japan to the crown prince, she wore a jūnihitoe for the official ceremony. The jūnihitoe was also worn by Empress Michiko during the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Akihito in 1990. Her ladies-in-waiting were all wearing the jūnihitoe, however in modified form from the Edo period, not the Heian style.

The Saiō Matsuri Saiō Festival is held every in Meiwa, Mie and showcases Heian era dresses.

The Layers of the jūnihitoe

The layers of the Jūnihitoe consist of:

The undergarments: Usually a two-piece cotton or silk garment.

Kosode: A short silk red or white robe of ankle or lower calf length.

Nagabakama: A very long red pleated split skirt which can also be worn by men.

Hitoe: An unlined silk robe; usually red, white or blue-green, although other colors (such as dark red-violet or dark green) very rarely occur.

Uchigi: A series of brightly coloured unlined robes which create a layered effect.

Uchiginu: A beaten scarlet silk robe worn as a stiffener and support for the outer robes.

Uwagi: A patterned woven and decorated silk robe than is shorter and narrower than the Uchiginu.

Kouchigi: (lit., "small cloak") a shorter brocade robe worn over the uchigi or uwagi to add some formality on occasions when the karaginu and mo were NOT worn; (img)

Karaginu: A waist length Chinese style jacket.

"Mo": An apron-like train, down the back of the robe. White with painted/embroidered adornment.

References

Notes

There is a Japanese band of the same name (see 12. Hitoe).

External links

The Costume Museum | The Heian Period

Image of a jūnihitoe

Encyclopaedia Britannica: Juni Hitoe

Gallery of Junihitoe Images

Reference Chart of Juunihitoe Color Schemes (note: incomplete with some translation errors, but includes uwagi and karaginu colors)

Reference Chart of Juunihitoe Color Schemes (note: complete, but written in Japanese characters and without uwagi/karaginu color information)

Historical Reenactor's Project to Recreate a Juunihitoe- variant 1 (with notes)

Historical Reenactor's Project to Recreate a Juunihitoe- variant 2 (with notes)

How a Juunihitoe is Donned (thumbnail list links)

Category:Japanese clothing Category:Robes and cloaks

__NOTOC__

Name	Hibari Misora
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Kazue Katō
Born	29 May 1937
Died	June 24, 1989
Origin	Isogo-ku, Yokohama Japan
Genre	Jazz, Enka
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1945–1971
Url	Official site

was an award winning Japanese enka singer and actress. and was the first woman in Japan to receive the People's Honour Award, which was awarded posthumously for her notable contributions to the music industry. Misora recorded 1,200 songs, and sold 68 million records. After she died, consumer demand for her recordings grew significantly, and by 2001 she had sold more than 80 million records. Her swan-song is often performed by numerous artists and orchestras as a tribute to her, including notable renditions by The Three Tenors, Teresa Teng, and Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan.

Biography

Life and career

Hibari Misora was born in Isogo-ku, Yokohama, Japan. Her father was , a fishmonger, and her mother , a housewife. Misora displayed musical talent from an early age after singing for her father at a World War II send-off party in 1943. He invested a small fortune taken from the family's savings to begin a musical career for his daughter, and in 1945 she debuted at a concert hall in Yokohama, at the age of eight, as , a name proposed by her mother. A year later she appeared on a NHK broadcast, and impressed the Japanese composer Masao Koga with her singing ability. He considered her to be a prodigy with the courage, understanding, and emotional maturity of an adult. In the following two years, she became an accomplished singer and was touring notable concert halls to sold-out crowds.

Her recording career began in 1949 at the age of twelve, when she changed her stage-name to Hibari Misora; which means "beautiful skylark" and starred in the film . The film gained her nationwide recognition. She recorded her first single for Columbia Records later that year. It became a commercial hit, selling more than 450,000 copies. She subsequently recorded "Kanashiki kuchibue", which was featured on a radio program and was a national hit.

In January 13, 1957, Misora was attacked with hydrochloric acid, and injured in Asakusa International Theater. The criminal was an overly enthusiastic fan of hers. Fortunately, the wound did not remain in her face.

In 1973 Tetsuya Katō, Misora's brother, was prosecuted for gang-related activity. Although NHK did not acknowledge any connection, Misora was excluded from Kouhaku uta gassen for the first time in eighteen years. A bronze statue of her debut was built as a memorial in Yokohama in 2002, and attracts around 300,000 visitors each year.

Question of Korean ancestry

Hibari Misora's ancestry is a matter of dispute. There are assertions that she was of ethnic Korean ancestry, and that she and her family held Korean passports. Others dispute these claims and following study of her parents' ancestry, assert that Misora's background is not Korean, but Japanese.

Notable songs

Kappa Boogie Woogie (, 1949) Kanashiki Kuchibue (, 1949) Tokyo Kiddo (, 1950) Echigo Jishi No Uta (, 1950) Omatsuri Mambo (, 1952) Ringo Oiwake (, 1952) Minatomachi 13-banchi (, 1957) Hanagasa Dōchū (, 1957) Yawara (, 1964) Kanashii Sake (, 1966) Makkana Taiyō (, 1967) Aisansan (）, 1986) Midaregami (, 1987) Kawa no nagare no yō ni (, 1989)

Filmography

(1949) showing Hibari Misora.]] Hibari Misora appeared in 166 films:

1940s

(1940s complete)

Nodo jimankyō jidai (のど自慢狂時代)(1949)

(新東京音頭　びっくり五人男)(1949)

Odoru ryū kyūjō (踊る龍宮城, lit. "Dancing Dragon Palace")(1949)

Akireta musume-tachi (あきれた娘たち), alternate title: Kingorō no kodakara sōdō (金語楼の子宝騒動)(1949)

Kanashiki kuchibue (悲しき口笛, lit. "Sad whistling")(1949)

Odoroki ikka (おどろき一家)(1949)

Home run kyō jidai (ホームラン狂時代, lit. "The Age of Home run Madness")(1949)

1950s

(1951) featuring Hibari Misora.]] (1951)]] (1950s is complete)

Hit Parade (ヒットパレード - 1950)

Akogare no Hawaii kōro (憧れのハワイ航路 - 1950)

Hōrō no utahime (放浪の歌姫, lit. "The Wandering Songstress" - 1950)

(続・向う三軒両隣　第三話　どんぐり歌合戦 - 1950)

Enoken no sokonuke daihōsō (エノケンの底抜け大放送 - 1950)

(続・向う三軒両隣　第四話　恋の三毛猫)(1950)

Aozora tenshi (青空天使, lit. "Blue Sky Angel" - 1950)

Tokyo Kid (東京キッド - 1950)

(左近捕物帖　鮮血の手型, lit. "Sakon Detective Story: The Fresh Blood Handprint" - 1950)

(黄金バット　摩天楼の怪人, lit. "Golden Bat: Mysterious stranger of the Skyscraper" - 1950)

Tonbo kaeri dōchū (とんぼ返り道中 - 1950)

Watashi wa josei no. 1 (1950) - as herself, the short film

Chichi koishi (父恋し - 1951)

(唄祭り　ひばり七変化, lit. "Song Festival: Hibari Quick Change" - 1951)

Naki nureta ningyō (泣きぬれた人形, lit. "The Doll Wet from Crying" - 1951)

(鞍馬天狗　角兵衛獅子 - 1951)

Haha wo shitaite (母を慕いて, lit. "Yearning for Mother" - 1951)

Hibari no komoriuta (ひばりの子守唄, lit. "Hibari's Lullaby" - 1951)

(鞍馬天狗　鞍馬の火祭 - 1951)

Ano oka koete (あの丘越えて, lit. "Cross that Hill" - 1951)

Yōki-na wataridori (陽気な渡り鳥 - 1952)

(鞍馬天狗　天狗廻状 - 1952)

Tsukigata Hanpeita (月形半平太 - 1952)

(ひばりのサーカス　悲しき小鳩, lit. "Hibari's Circus: Sad Little Dove" - 1952)

Ushiwakamaru (牛若丸 - 1952)

Futari no hitomi (二人の瞳) aka Girls Hand in Hand USA title (1952)

Ringo-en no shōjo (リンゴ園の少女, lit. "Girl of Apple Park" - 1952)

Hibari-hime hatsuyume dōchū (ひばり姫初夢道中 - 1952)

Mita katakure! (三太頑れっ！ - 1953)

Hibari no utau tamatebako (ひばりの歌う玉手箱, lit. "Hibari's Singing Treasure Chest" - 1953)

Shimai (姉妹, lit. "Sisters" - 1953)

Hibari no yōki-na tenshi (ひばりの陽気な天使 - 1953)

(ひばり捕物帳　唄祭り八百八町, lit. "Hibari Detective Story: Song Festival Across Tokyo" - 1953)

Hibari no kanashiki hitomi (ひばりの悲しき瞳 - 1953)

Yama wo mamoru kyōdai (山を守る兄弟, lit. "The Brothers who Protect the Mountain") (1953)

Ojōsan shachō (お嬢さん社長, lit. "Madame Company President" - 1953)

Misora Hibari no haru ha uta kara (美空ひばりの春は唄から, lit. "Hibari Misora's Spring is from Song" - 1954)

Hiyodori sōshi (ひよどり草紙 - 1954)

The Dancing Girl of Izu (伊豆の踊子, Izu no odoriko (1954 film) - 1954), a film adaptation of Yasunari Kawabata's story The Dancing Girl of Izu

Uta shigure oshidori wakashū (唄しぐれ　おしどり若衆 - 1954)

(青春ロマンスシート　青空に坐す - 1954)

Bikkuri gojūsantsugi (びっくり五十三次, lit. "Surprising 53 Stations of the Tōkaidō" - 1954)

Yaoya Oshichi furisode tsukiyo (八百屋お七　ふり袖月夜 - 1954)

Wakaki hi wa kanashi (若き日は悲し - 1954)

Uta goyomi Onatsu Seijūrō (歌ごよみ　お夏清十郎 - 1954)

Shichihenge tanuki goten (七変化狸御殿, lit. "Quick Change Tanuki Palace" - 1954)

Ōedo senryōbayashi (大江戸千両囃子 - 1955)

Musume sendōsan (娘船頭さん - 1955)

(青春航路　海の若人 - 1955)

Uta matsuri mangetsu tanuki-gassen (歌まつり満月狸合戦 - 1955)

Furisode kyōenroku (ふり袖侠艶録 - 1955)

Takekurabe (たけくらべ, Adolescence aka Growing Up Twice aka Growing Up aka Child's Play) (1955) - a film adaptation of Higuchi Ichiyō's novel Takekurabe

So Young, So Bright (ジャンケン娘 Janken musume - 1955)

Furisode kotengu (ふり袖小天狗 - 1955)

Fuefuki Wakamusha (笛吹若武者 - 1955)

Utamatsuri Edokko Kin-san torimonochō (唄祭り　江戸っ子金さん捕物帖 - 1955)

Rikidōzan monogatari dotō no otoko (力道山物語　怒濤の男 - 1955)

(旗本退屈男　謎の決闘状 - 1955)

Utae! Seishun Harikiri Musume (歌え！青春　はりきり娘 - 1955)

(銭形平次捕物控　死美人風呂) (1956)

(おしどり囃子) (1956)

(恋すがた狐御殿 Koi sugata kitsune goten) (1956)

Peach Boy (宝島遠征 Takarajima ensei) (1956)

(ふり袖太平記) (1956)

(ふり袖捕物帖　若衆変化) (1956)

(鬼姫競艶録) (1956)

(銭形平次捕物控　まだら蛇 ) (1957)

(大江戸喧嘩纏) (1957)

(旗本退屈男　謎の紅蓮搭) (1957)

(ふり袖捕物帖　ちりめん駕籠) (1957)

(ロマンス誕生) (1957)

(おしどり喧嘩笠 Oshidori kenkagasa) (1957)

(怪談番町皿屋敷) (1957)

aka Big Hit Three Color Daughters (1957)

(青い海原) (1957)

(ふり袖太鼓) (1957)

(ひばりの三役　競艶雪之丞変化) (1957)

(ひばりの三役　競艶雪之丞変化　後篇) (1957)

(1958)]] (1958)]]

(娘十八御意見無用)

(おしどり駕籠)

The Badger Palace aka The Princess of Badger Palace (大当り狸御殿 Oatari tanukigoten) (1958)

(丹下左膳)

Edo Girl Detective (ひばり捕物帖　かんざし小判 ) (1958)

(恋愛自由型) (1958)

(花笠若衆) (1958)

(女ざむらい只今参上 Onna-za murai tadaima sanjō) (1958)

(おこんの初恋　花嫁七変化) (1958)

(ひばりの花形探偵合戦) (1958)

(希望の乙女) (1958)

(隠密七生記) (1958)

Secret of the Golden Coin (ひばり捕物帖　自雷也小判 ) (1958)

(娘の中の娘 Musume no Naka no Musume) (1958)

(唄祭り　かんざし纏) (1958)

　(いろは若衆　ふり袖ざくら ) (1959)

The Great Avengers　(忠臣蔵　桜花の巻　菊花の巻 ) (1959)

(鞍馬天狗) (1959)

(東京べらんめえ娘 Tokyo beran me-e musume) (1959)

(孔雀城の花嫁) (1959)

The Revenger in Red　(紅だすき喧嘩状 Beni-dasuki kenkajo) (1959)

(お染久松　そよ風日傘) (1959)

(水戸黄門　天下の副将軍) (1959)

(江戸っ子判官とふり袖小僧) (1959)

(血闘水滸伝　怒濤の対決) (1959)

　(いろは若衆　花駕籠峠 ) (1959)

(べらんめえ探偵娘) (1959)

(ひばり捕物帖　ふり袖小判) (1959)

The Prickly-mouthed Geisha　(べらんめえ芸者 Beran me-e geisha) (1959)

1960s - 1980s

(Zoku beran me-e geisha) (1960)

Samurai Vagabond (Tonosama - Yaji kita) (1960)

(Oja kissa) (1960)

Sword of Destiny () (1960)

(Hibari no mori no ishimatsu) (1960)

(Hizakura kotengu) (1961)

(Hakubajō no hanayome) (1961)

(Beran me-e geisha makari tōru) (1961)

(Sen-hime to Hideyori) (1962)

Hibari Traveling Performer (Hibari no Hahakoi Guitar) (1962)

Cosmetic Sales Competition (Minyo no Tabi Akita Obako) (1963)

() (1964)

() (1966)

Festival of Gion (Gion matsuri) (1968) aka Gion Festival aka Kurobe's Sun aka The Day the Sun Rose

Songs in films

Her songs also appeared in 5 Japanese films:

Shichihenge tanuki goten (七変化狸御殿 - 1954)

Janken musume (ジャンケン娘 - 1955)

Tenryū bōkoigasa (天竜母恋い笠 - 1960)

Uogashi no Onna Ishimatsu (魚河岸の女石松 - 1961)

(花と龍　青雲篇　愛憎篇　怒濤篇 - 1973)

See also

Best selling music artists

References

External links

Official website

Official museum website

Category:Enka musicians Category:Japanese musicians Category:Japanese female singers Category:People from Yokohama Category:Acid attack victims Category:Japanese people of Korean descent Category:1937 births Category:1989 deaths