Kosode with Kamo Shrine Horse Race Design

The red-checkered design on the upper section of this kosode-style kimono is done in shibori. A yuzen-dyed scene from the annual, May 5th horse race at Kyoto's Kamigamo Shrine is displayed across the lower half of the garment. Minute details, such as the white-paste outlining and the rich variety of colors, attest to the high technical standards of yuzen-zome in the mid-Edo Period. The windblown disarray of maple leaves evokes the dash of the two horses and the excitement of the crowd.

The contrast in techniques between the upper and lower sections combined with the overall ingenuity of the composition reveals the artist's sophisticated and refined sense of design. Though the same size as an ordinary kosode, the garment was probably meant for a child.