This kimono is a deep brick red, patterned with pale blue, orange, and white sail boats. It has a red lining. The silk is woven with a flying geese and wave motif. Red linings fell out of use in the 1950s, so this kimono predates that time.
The kimono is a Japanese traditional garment. Kimono, literally meaning a "thing to wear," are made of flat panels of cloth into T-shaped, straight-lined robes with long, wide sleeves. Kimono are wrapped around the body and secured by a sash called an obi, which is tied at the back. Kimono are generally worn with traditional footwear (especially zori or geta) and split-toe socks (tabi). There are many types of kimono for different occasions. One common type, traditionally worn by unmarried women, is the furisode: distinctive for its nearly floor-length sleeves. Today, kimono are usually worn on special occasions (such as weddings or tea ceremonies) or by a small proportion of older men and women on a daily basis. Kimono fabrics, typically silk, are frequently hand made and hand decorated, though modern kimono are available in less expensive, machine-made fabrics.
It was donated to the Boston Children's Museum by Mrs. Hiroko Kizawa of the Citizens of Kyoto, Japan in 1976 to honor the Boston–Kyoto Sister City relationship and the move of The Japanese House to Boston.
