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Kimono

Kimono

  • Place of origin:

    Japan (made)

  • Date:

    1937 (made)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Printed wool

  • Museum number:

    FE.2-2005

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

  • Image in copyright

In the 1930s kimono for young boys, such as this example, were often patterned with highly graphic propaganda images. Unusually, this kimono commemorates an actual event, the first aeroplane flight from Japan to Europe. The plane, called the 'kamikaze-go' flew from Tokyo to London, landing at Croydon airport on April 9th 1937 making its pilot, Masaaki Iinuma, a hero. The kimono is decorated with images of the plane and, in circles, Mount Fuji, Tower Bridge and the route of the flight, together with the British and French flags. The design also features block letters, in white on grey, which read '1937 Aorenraku 15000'. Aorenraku roughly translates to 'connections across the blue' and 15000 is the distance of the journey in kilometres.

Physical description

Kimono for a child, fine wool padded with cotton and printed with images commemorating the flight of the kamikaze-go, the first plane to fly from Tokyo to Europe, in 1937. The kimono is banded in cream, streaked with yellow, and blue with stars, perhaps to suggest the flight by day and by night. It is decorated with images of the plane and, in circles, Mount Fuji, Tower Bridge and the route of the flight, together with the British and French flags. The design also features block letters, in white on grey, which read '1937 Aorenraku 15000'. Aorenraku roughtly translates to 'connections across the blue' and 15000 is the distance of the journey in kilometres. The kimono has never been worn and the cream ties are still stitched together.

Place of Origin

Japan (made)

Date

1937 (made)

Materials and Techniques

Printed wool

Marks and inscriptions

1937 Aorenraju 15000 1937 connections across the blue 15000 (kilometres)

Dimensions

Width: 78 cm across shoulders, Length: 72.5 cm neck to hem at back

Descriptive line

Kimono for a young boy, with design commemorating the first flight from Tokyo to London, Japanese 1937

Materials

Wool

Techniques

Printed

Subjects depicted

London; Bridge; Flags; Aeroplane; Mount Fuji

Categories

Clothing

Collection code

EAS

Qr_O108976
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