Garment types

Atsuita 厚板

Description

An atsuita is a small-sleeved (kosode) nō costume worn primarily as an under robe (kitsuke) for male roles, but can also serve as an outer robe for characters of older women. While some atsuita have simple checks, many are gorgeously decorated with strong geometric patterns brocaded in multicolored weft threads.

Roles and draping

Old men in the first half of a play wear atsuita woven with checks in a dense silk twill as a kitsuke under mizugoromo, either combined with ōkuchi (Takasago) or without (Tenko). Warrior courtiers don an atsuita under chōken or happi. Old women might drape an atsuita tucked up at the waist (tsubo-ori) as an outer robe over another kosode garment. An alternate costuming for energetic roles like the wraith of Taira no Tomomori in Funa Benkei or the fox god in Kokaji is to dispense with an outer jacket and wear atsuita exposed on the torso, but tucked into the ōkuchi pleated trousers in a draping called mogidō.

Textile features and tailoring

The thick atsuita material is woven with a six-harness twill foundation. The geometric and other designs are rendered in different colored threads woven as supplementary patterning with glossed silk wefts. This patterning technique and the tailoring of the garment are similar to those for the karaori. Atsuita that are intended to be worn exclusively as undergarments with only the upper portion partially exposed might be tailored to a three-quarter length.

Designs and coloring

Background patterns are often geometric, such as checks, linked hexagons, concentric diamonds, triangles, or bold zigzag lines. Motifs include Chinese imagery, such as temple gongs, shishi lions among peonies, and dragons in clouds.

Noshime 熨斗目

Description

A noshime is a small-sleeved (kosode) noh costume of plain weave silk, either monochrome or with bands of different colors. It is worn for roles of lower-class males. In noh, noshime serve as undergarments for a variety of characters, especially monks, common men, low-ranking samurai, and sometimes old women. In kyōgen, noshime are also used for daimyō roles.

Roles and draping

Traveling priests wear plain-color noshime under a mizugoromo, with or without ōkuchi. Servants don a noshime under kamishimo matched suits with wing sleeves, while daimyō wear them under the more elaborate hitatare matched suits. When preparing for action, the outer jacket might be shed, exposing the noshime tucked into the pleated trousers in a draping known as mogidō.

Textile features and tailoring

Glossed silk wefts are woven in plain weave into raw (unglossed) silk warps. A wavy texture can be added by varying the thickness of select warp threads. Noshime are tailored in a standard T-shape kosode with the outer edge of the sleeves below the wrist opening sewn together.

Designs and coloring

While many noshime are a single solid color, such as navy, brown, green, or tan, some have horizontal bands of contrasting colors or bands of checks. Both the bands and the checks are created by tie-dyeing the threads before weaving (kasuri). Very often the waist area is left white (koshiaki) or filled with textured checks. Stripes and bands are considered higher class than simple plain-colored noshime.

Surihaku 摺箔

Description

A surihaku is a small-sleeved (kosode) noh costume of soft silk patterned with stenciled gold or silver foil and worn for women’s roles under karaori (see above) or nuihaku (see below). Although the surihaku is often glimpsed only at the upper chest, in some outfits the left sleeve or the whole upper portion is exposed.

Roles and draping

Surihaku are undergarments worn primarily for women’s roles. The surihaku is laid over the actor’s shoulders, crossed snugly over the chest, left lapel over right, and then bound at the waist with a sash. For a standard woman’s role in the first half of a play, a karaori is draped over it in kinagashi style with the collar left open, which leaves only a small portion of the surihaku visible. For roles of women who are crazed (Sakagami in Semimaru) or doing manual labor (Courtesan in Eguchi), the karaori is draped in nugisage style, with the right sleeve slipped off, so the surihaku is exposed on half the torso. The entire upper portion of the surihaku is visible when combined with a nuihaku folded down at the waist in koshimaki draping (e.g. Hagoromo).

Textile features and tailoring

While Momoyama-period surihaku are generally made from plain weave silk with glossed wefts (nerinuki), Edo-period ones tend to be made of satin (shusu), warp-faced twill (aya), or figured satin (rinzu). Repeat patterns are cut into paper stencils (katagami). The stencils are placed onto the fabric, adhesive applied through the holes, and then metallic foil (gold or silver) placed over the stenciled area while the adhesive is still wet. When it dries, excess foil is brushed off to reveal the pattern, which is repeated over the entire costume, or only in designated areas. Often the lower portion of a surihaku has little or no decoration, as it is always covered up when worn.

Designs and coloring

Repeat geometric patterns, like checker blocks, interlocking circles or triangles, woven fence, and key-fret designs are common. Free-flowing designs, like scrolling vines, wind-bent grass, or swirling water create a poetic effect. The majority of surihaku are white; but some are red, light blue, or yellow, and some have bands of different colors. When small areas are embroidered as highlights, the costume is called a nui iri surihaku.

Nuihaku 縫箔

Description

A nuihaku is a small-sleeved (kosode) noh costume made of soft silk and worn for roles of women, young men, and kyōgen women. Unlike the karaori or atsuita where the designs are woven, decorations on nuihaku are embroidered and stenciled.

Roles and draping

When it is worn as an undergarment by women, young boys（e.g. Yoroboshi), and warrior-courtiers (e.g. Atsumori and Tomonaga), the softly yielding nuihaku robe is crossed over the chest and bound at the waist in kinagashi draping. The nuihaku may also be folded down at the waist so the sleeves hang over the hips in koshimaki draping, exposing the surihaku undergarment as a contrasting “upper” to the outfit. In noh plays like Dōjōji, and Aoinoue the shite wears a karaori (see above) over the koshimaki outfit in the first act when she appears as human, but sheds the outer robe in the second act when she appears as a jealous snake-like figure. In Hagoromo, however, the Celestial Maiden, having laid aside her outer robe to bathe, first appears in a koshimaki outfit and later dons a chōken over the nuihaku koshimaki outfit. For roles of women in kyōgen, the nuihaku is draped a little more loosely in kinagashi style and bound at the waist.

Textile features and tailoring

Similar to the surihaku (see above) robes, the silks used for nuihaku tended to be glossed plain weave in the sixteenth century, but since the seventeenth century they are generally satin, figured satin, or a glossy twill. As the name implies, two different techniques are used to decorate nuihaku: embroidery (nui) and stenciled gold or silver foil (haku). The latter is explained in the surihaku entry. The style of embroidery changed over time. Broadly speaking embroidery of the late sixteenth century is characterized by densely filling in areas of the robe with long parallel stitches on the surface held down by tiny stitches on the reverse (watashinui). During the Edo period embroidery became increasingly realistic and the types of stitches multiplied.

Designs and coloring

The nuihaku garments are generally dyed after weaving, either in a solid color, like white, red, blue, yellow, light brown, purple, and black, or in bands or blocks of color. Overall designs range from densely filling the whole robe with embroidery on solid gold to scattering small motifs over a light background of geometric stencil repeats. Limiting embroidery to the shoulder and hem (katasusō) typified sixteenth-century nuihaku but proved practical later particularly when the nuihaku was worn folded down in koshimaki draping. As primarily women’s wear, typical motifs are taken from nature: flowers, blossoming trees, birds, and butterflies. Evoking season and often also literary tropes, the designs are imaginative, poetic, and colorful.

Kariginu 狩衣

Description

A kariginu is a broad-sleeved (ōsode) nō costume with a round-collar and open cuffs worn as an outer upper garment by high-ranking male characters. Generally decorated with woven patterns, kariginu are draped over divided skirts. Kariginu can be lined (awase) or unlined (hitoe), the former suited to ministers and supernatural beings, the latter to elegant courtiers.

Roles and Draping

Despite the wide range of characters, both human and supernatural, that wear kariginu there is one basic draping: the body panels are bound at the waist so they hang loosely over the belt and the hem covers the top third of the wide pleated trousers, which may be ōkuchi (ministers, notably ‘waki roles in many first-category plays) or hangiri (supernatural beings, such as the Thunder God in Kamo or the tengu in Kurama Tengu) or as in Unrin’in and Tōru). In addition, an alternative draping involves folding under the round collar so it forms a “V” neck (emon tsuki), which can be used for energetic roles involving rapid movement, such as the vigorous god of Sumiyoshi in Takasago. The “V” neck draping combined with hiking up the sleeves is an alternative costuming for warrior roles, like the revengeful wraith of Taira no Tomomori in Funa Benkei. 

Tailoring

This three-quarter length robe is distinguished by the round collar with overlapping narrow front panels and double-width sleeves open at the cuffs. Short seams from the shoulder down a short distance at the back connect the sleeves to the body panels. As a result, the drape over the chest remains independent of the movement of the sleeves. The round collar (sometimes squared off) is a feature shared with actual court costumes (sokutai) that are based on ancient Chinese styles. Cords attached at the edge of the collar on the left overlapping front panel are used to fasten the collar to the right panel. Other cords are laced through narrow cloth strips along the edge of the sleeves.

Textile Features

Most typically lined kariginu use a solid-ground weave such as satin or twill with gold or silver or colored silk thread supplementary patterning. When gold designs are set against a dark ground, it is common to use an extra yellow or red warp in a lampas weave to hold down the pattern threads so as not to dull their impact. Multi-colored supplementary patterning on twill or satin gives a more refined effect. Figured satin, double weave, and embroidery are alternative decorative techniques. Old kariginu are often made from imported fabrics (meibutsu-gire) or imitations thereof.

Unlined kariginu are woven of thin, gossamer material. They are worn by elegant courtiers, young warrior courtiers who die in battle, and aged spirits of plants. The weaves include gold patterning on ribbed gauze weave (rokin), patterning with supplementary colored threads on plain gauze weave (sha), or self-patterned plain gauze weave (monsha). For a more rustic feel, a monotone coarse plain weave with displaced wefts (yore) is also possible.

Designs and Coloring

Lined kariginu worn by strong characters tend to have dark solid-color grounds such as deep red, indigo blue, or green with large geometric patterns in gold or silver. For aristocratic characters, the ground color might be white or light yellow, or it might have multi-colored smaller repeat patterns. These can be geometric, like the Okina kariginu pattern of interlocking hexagons and squares (shokkō monyō), but might also be derived from nature, such as flower scrolls. Unlined kariginu tend to be dyed with a gentler shade of blue, green, cream, or white and have designs reminiscent of court patterns (yūsoku monyō).

Happi 法被

Description

A happi is a broad-sleeved (ōsode 大袖) nō costume worn as an outer garment for strong male roles. Lined awase happi woven with dynamic gold designs are worn by characters of demons, menacing animals, lesser gods and victorious warriors. Happi woven with multicolor patterns serve as a Chinese dress, while unlined hitoe happi woven in a gossamer gauze with gentler patterns may represent the armor worn by warrior courtiers.

Roles and Draping

For demons and lesser deities, the happi is belted over hangiri with the wide sleeves falling free. Warriors might wear the happi with the right sleeve slipped off (nugisage) so they can wield a sword or halberd (as in Yashima) or with both sleeves hiked up (as in Funa Benkei). The Chinese immortal who guards the elixir of long life in the play Kiku-jidō (, also known as Makura-jidō) also has the right sleeve slipped behind the back but carries a round Chinese-style fan (tō uchiwa).

Tailoring

The happi has double-width, open cuffed sleeves attached around the shoulder area to three-quarter length body panels. The front panels have no extra lapels but are edged by a straight collar. The cloth bands at the hem of the body panels connecting front to back at the side are a salient feature.

Textile Features

Lined happi (awase) are woven with a twill or satin foundation and supplementary weft patterning, in gold or silver thread, or with colored pattern threads. The gossamer unlined happi (hitoe) are woven in simple gauze weave (sha) or ribbed gauze (ro) with supplementary patterning in gold, silver, or colored threads. Some happi have stenciled or painted designs.

Designs and Coloring

Lined happi have bold designs that are often geometric or suggestive of Chinese imagery, with larger motifs predominantly used for stronger characters, like demons and bandits. Background colors may be white, blue, green, or purple. Unlined happi can be either plain or patterned with arabesques, insects, flowers, or court motifs (yūsoku monyō) on white, blue, green, or purple grounds.

Mizugoromo 水衣

Description

A mizugoromo is a broad-sleeved (ōsode) nō costume with single-width open sleeves and flared lapels, that is worn as an outer “travel” or “work” cloak by characters of men and women of all ages and professions, particularly commoners and Buddhist priests. This three-quarter-length, unlined jacket is most commonly made of a plain weave fabric in a single color.

Roles and Draping

The mizugoromo is used mostly for the role of commoner. Characters of traveling women (Sumidagawa), working women (Matsukaze), nuns (Ōhara Gokō) and old women (Sotoba Komachi) wear the mizugoromo loosely draped from the shoulders. Men wear their mizugoromo belted, tucking up the sleeves for work. Traveling monks (tabisō) appear as waki in many dream plays (mugen nō), wear plain brown or blue mizugoromo over a kosode. If they are high-ranking monks, or mountain priests (yamabushi) such as Benkei in Funa Benkei, the mizugoromo is worn over ōkuchi pleated trousers. Commoner old men appearing in the first part of a play (Tadanori) belt the jacket over a checked kosode, either an atsuita or a noshime, while dignified old men in first-category Deity plays (Takasago) hike up the sleeves to work, but drape the garment over ōkuchi. Suffering ghosts in hell, such as Shii no Shōshō in Kayoi Komachi wear their mizugoromo belted over ōkuchi.

Tailoring

The mizugoromo, which was created for stage use, probably sometime in the sixteenth century, is the only open-cuffed ōsode nō costume tailored with only one width of fabric for the sleeves. The sleeves are stitched to the body of the garment from the shoulders down to chest level and then allowed to hang free, facilitating movement. The front and back body panels are stitched together along the side seam so that when the garment is belted, it fits snugly over the hips. Long triangular inserts serve as front lapels. The broad collar edges the lapels almost all the way to the hem.

Textile Feature

Mizugoromo can be made with four types of fabric. Most common are single-colored plain weave silk (shike). Striped (shima) mizugoromo are standard for Yamabushi priests, though when there are many Yamabushi on stage at the same time, as in Ataka the supporting roles often do not wear stripes. The sheer, half-transparent effect of gauze-weave (sha) provides a texture alternative. Finally, the loosely-woven yore with spaced wefts that are later displaced gives frayed, ragged transparency that creates a sense of poverty and suffering, as in plays featuring the hundred-year-old poetess Ono-no-Komachi, as well as roles of suffering ghosts, such as the bird hunter in Utō.

Designs and Coloring

Single-color plain weave silk (shike) mizugoromo tend to be brown or dark blue for male roles, but white, pale blue, and lighter colors are common for women. The broad stripes of the shima mizugoromo generally have dark blues, greens, or browns. The gossamer sha mizugoromo can be either dark or light and sometimes include a stenciled pattern. The ragged yore mizugoromo tend to be white, cream, light blue, or dark earth colors.

Chōken 長絹

Description

A chōken is a broad-sleeved (ōsode) nō costume of gossamer weave with open cuffs and loose body panels that is worn as an outer robe primarily by roles of women and children in plays containing a long instrumental dance (maigoto). Bound at the waist it can be used to dress male aristocrats and warrior-courtiers.

Roles and Draping

Female characters performing long instrumental dances wear chōken draped loosely over the shoulders and hanging free so that the whole costume flows with the body movement. The Celestial Maiden in Hagoromo and the Spirit of the iris flower in Kakitsubata wear a chōken over a koshimaki outfit, where a nuihaku is folded down at the waist. Court Women, like Lady Rokujō in Nonomiya wear the chōken falling loosely over ōkuchi pleated trousers. For children, like the boy dancer in Kantan, the body panels of the chōken are bound at the waist, so they rest snug against the ōkuchi. Warrior courtiers, like Atsumori and Tadanori, also wear the chōken bound at the waist over ōkuchi, but the right sleeve of the chōken is also slipped off, rolled up, and tucked into the belt at the back to facilitate wielding a sword.

Tailoring and Textile Features

The gossamer lightness of the chōken derives from its being tailored from very thin fabric. Most common is ribbed gauze (ro), but simple gauze (sha), sometimes with woven structural or gold patterns, and thin plain weave are alternatives. Patterning is usually done on the loom, often by weaving in strips of gold foil or colored threads, but examples of hand painting, stenciled patterns, appliqué, and embroidery can also be found.

The chōken sleeves are made from two weaving widths and have open cuffs. They are sewn to the body panels at the shoulder. The body panels are stitched together along the center back and allowed to hang free at the front. A narrow collar reaches almost to the hem of the 3/4 length body panels. Braided tassels are attached to the outer corner of the sleeves and braided tying cords are sewn to the front panels at chest level.

Designs and Coloring

Ground colors include white, yellow, crimson, purple worn generally by women, and blue, green, and brown favored for male roles. Tying cords hanging from the chest and tassels at the bottom corner of the sleeves are red, yellow, purple, or green. Two styles of designs are common: (1) overall patterns, like scrolling vines or pictorial images and (2) a combination of large crests on the chest and sleeves with lighter, scattered motifs along the hem.

Maiginu 舞衣

Description

A maiginu (literally “dance cloak”) is a broad-sleeved (ōsode) nō costume of gossamer fabric worn by characters of women who perform long instrumental dances. Generally, a maiginu is made of a gauze weave with gold, or other patterning. It differs from the chōken (see above) in having front lapels that are crossed and belted so that while the sleeves sway freely with the dance, the body of the garment adheres to the performer’s torso.

Roles and Draping

This dancing cloak is worn for roles of women in the fourth category nō. The daughter of the dragon king Ama appears in a maiginu bound at the waist and draped over plain pleated trousers ōkuchi, while the wife of the drum player named Fuji wears a maiginu over a nuihaku to dance gaku (Umegae, Fujidaiko).

Tailoring and Textile Features

Like chōken, maiginu are fashioned out of gossamer fabrics that catch in the breeze, such as ribbed gauze (ro) or simple gauze weave (sha) that might be self-patterned. Supplementary patterning is done in gold, silver, or colored threads. In rare instances, designs may be painted, stenciled, or embroidered. The long main panels are sewn together front to back from waist level down and the front panels have extra lapels so they overlap over the chest when the garment is belted. The open cuff, double-width sleeves lack the tassels at the outer corner found on chōken. Maiginu also do not have tying cords at the chest

Designs and Coloring

Scrolling vines and floral motifs scattered over the entire garment are common, as are geometric patterns like undulating lines, diagonal grids, and roundels. Ground colors include purple, red, gray, white, and occasionally blocks of more than one color.

Suō 素襖

Description

A suō is a broad-sleeved (ōsode) nō costume. It is a matched suit made of unlined hempen fabric with dyed designs and used in nō and kyōgen for roles of commoners and samurai. The matched suits combine an upper jacket with pleated trousers.

Roles and Draping

Samurai wore suō during the Edo period and in performances of nō and kyōgen the costume is used for corresponding roles, like Sano no Tsuneyo in Hachi no Ki. The shite of Matsumushi, a commoner, wears a simpler version combining the suō top with ōkuchi pleated trousers.

Tailoring and Textile Features

Like hitatare, suō are tailored from plain weave hemp fabric that has been dyed with paste-resist designs. The paste may be applied through a stencil to form repetitive patterns, or through a funnel to create free-hand painterly designs. Basically an unlined hitatare (see below), the suō upper garment has open cuffs, double-width sleeves, and short front panels that are tucked into the pleated trousers, which come in two styles: the formal long trailing nagabakama and simplified ankle-length hanbakama. The upper garment can also be worn with unmatched trousers, like ōkuchi. The suō differs from the hitatare in having family crests at the center back and sleeve seams and in lacking the reinforcement cloth strips and tassels on the sleeves.

Designs and Coloring

Family crests are placed high along the center back seam and sleeve seams. Designs may be small motifs in white stenciled repeats on a blue, brown, green, or black background or they may be large painterly hand-drawn designs incorporating four or five colors. Some suō designs make dynamic use of large color blocks, like the jagged “pine-bark” separation of back and tan blocks at Tokyo National Museum.

Hitatare 直垂

Description

A hitatare is a broad-sleeved (ōsode) matching suit. This lined hemp suit has matching designs on its broad-sleeved jacket and pleated trousers and is worn by roles for daimyō and samurai officials in nō and kyōgen. The pleated trousers may be either long (nagabakama) or short.

Roles and Draping

Hitatare suits consist of a jacket and trousers with matching designs. Samurai officials wear hitatare over noshime, presenting an imposing figure in formal long trailing trousers (nagabakama). The kyogen actor taking the role of Sambasō in the Shikisanban ritual (also known as Okina) wears a hitatare with ankle-length hanbakama since his performance includes high jumps, stamps, and vigorous movement.

Tailoring and Textile Features

The upper garment of the hitatare has open cuffs, double-width sleeves, and short front panels that are tucked into the trousers. Flat tying cords are attached at the chest and tucked in under the belt. Cord tassels also dangle from the outer corner of the sleeves. The seams at the center back and sleeves have reinforcement cloth strips where one would expect a family crest. When worn with non-matching trousers, this upper garment is known as a kake hitatare. The pleated trousers come in two styles: the formal long trailing trousers nagabakama and ankle-length hanbakama. Reinforcement cloth strips are placed mid-thigh, where the front and back trouser panels join. the waistband and ties are made from a separate, white, cloth. The plain weave hemp garments are patterned with surface designs typically done with paste-resist, either applied through a stencil (katazome) or hand-drawn using a funnel (tsutsugaki). Extra colors are often brushed on or applied with a stamp.

Designs and Coloring

Designs range from small repeat patterns to bold overall divisions of colors and large painterly designs that use the combined suit as a huge canvas. Colors include indigo, brown, green, and black. The Sambasō hitatare features long-life imagery of cranes, tortoises, and pine twigs, motifs that are incorporated into designs on hitatare used for other roles as well.

Kamishimo, Nagakamishimo 裃, 長裃

Description

A kamishimo is a matched suit with a sleeveless vest and pleated trousers (hakama) made of hemp and worn by lower samurai and commoners in both nō and kyōgen, On formal occasions, kamishimo are also worn by chorus and instrumentalists.

Roles and Draping

The kamishimo is worn over a kosode, typically a noshime. The vest is tucked into the hakama, typically the formal, long, trailing nagabakama. In kyōgen, high-ranking commoners, like the master in Busu, wear a kamishimo with nagabakama. On formal occasions, the nō chorus members and instrumentalists wear kamishimo with ankle-length hanbakama, or for ceremonial rituals with nagabakama.

Tailoring and Textile Features

The top is basically a sleeveless suō, but the front panel has been pleated to form wing-like shoulder panels gathered into thin front bands. The pleated trousers, both long and short, are tailored like the suō hakama. Kamishimo for nō and kyōgen tend to be made of bast-fiber (hemp) and dyed with paste-resist patterns, either stenciled or hand-painted through a funnel.

Designs and Coloring

Family crests are placed high on the center back seam and at chest level in front. Designs include overall repeat patterns, broad stripes, and pictorial motifs in blocks of contrasting colors, typically white, tan, indigo, and green.

Kataginu 肩衣

Description

A kataginu is a sleeveless hemp upper garment worn by servants and commoners in kyōgen. Dyed with paste-resist designs, the kataginu is generally combined with short pleated trousers (hakama) or with pantaloons bound at the calf (kukuribakama).

Roles and Draping

The kataginu is emblematic of kyōgen costumes and worn for a broad spectrum of roles. The servants Tarō Kaja and Jirō Kaja wear kataginu over hakama, as does the ai-kyōgen. Active characters combine the kataginu with kukuri-bakama, while messengers might slip off the right sleeve.

Tailoring and Textile Features

Basically the same as the top of a kamishimo matched suit (see above), the unlined, plain weave, hemp vest has two back panels that are about hip-length and stitched together with a center seam. The front panels are pleated so they form wing shoulders and converge into broad bands that run down each chest and are tucked into the trouser belt. The rectangular back of the kataginu is decorated with stenciled or hand-drawn paste-resist designs or painted designs.

Designs and Coloring

Old kataginu generally have small repeat patterns of white on a solid blue or green or grey ground, while later Edo period and more modern kataginu tend to have large pictorial designs, often homely in content: large insects, oversize flowers, birds soaring over reeds in water, or cherry blossoms falling into waves. Kataginu have dandelion crests at the center back and at chest level on the front pleated panels.

Ōkuchi 大口​

Description

Ōkuchi pleated trousers are a hakama style noh costume with stiff wide panels in the back and softer pleated panels in the front. When worn, the back panels are formed into a hump, adding bulk to the figure and ease of movement. Plain ōkuchi are worn by male and female characters, generally expressing higher social status.

Roles and draping

Ōkuchi are worn by characters of high-ranking women, priests, and old men, as well as warrior-courtiers, They are also worn underneath sashinuki (see below)  to give the latter bulk. Cords are strung through holes at the top of the back panels. When these are pulled and tied, they create a large tuck that results in a bulge over the upper backside. When donned, the front is tied to the actor’s body with long sashes, and a Y-shaped wooden support is inserted into the tied sash at the center back. The bulge of the pleated back panels is placed over the forked support and then the back panel sashes are brought to the front and tied.

Textile features and tailoring

The front panels of the ōkuchi are plain weave silk while the ribbed back panels alternate tightly packed heavy wefts and single wefts to create a very stiff, thick fabric. The front panels are given pleats that widen towards the hem and are connected to the back panels between the legs and at the sides from about knee height down. The two stiff, broad back panels must be sewn with special knot stitches. They are basted in a V along the outline of the tucks that form the back bulge.

Designs and colors

Plain colors are standard: white (priests, warriors, ministers) predominates, and red for women, but lavender, green, brown, and blue are all possible. Sometimes ōkuchi have discrete patterns woven into the plain-weave ground, either in a colored thread or metallic leaf.

Hangiri 半切

Description

Hangiri pleated trousers are a hakama-style noh costume with woven patterning that are worn by strong male characters such as powerful deities, warriors, bandits, tengu, and vengeful ghosts.

Roles and draping

Before donning hangiri, the stiff back panels are given a deep tuck to form a mound or bulge, like that for the ōkuchi. The actor steps into the leg openings, and then the front half of the trousers is secured in place by tying the attached belt sashes at the back. Next, the stiff mounded back panels are slipped over a fork-shaped wooden prong inserted in the tied sashes. The broad back panels add bulk and majesty to the figure when combined with a happi (bandits, goblins) a sobatsugi, or happi with the sleeves hiked up (strong warrior or revengeful ghost), and kariginu (strong deities such as the god Kamo Wakeikazuchi in the play Kamo.

Textile features and tailoring

The basic construction of hangiri is similar to that of ōkuchi, except that the attached waist sashes are a different cloth. Also, the entire garment is tailored our of one brocaded fabric, generally satin with supplementary patterning in gold or silver, or sometimes colored threads. To achieve the stiffness necessary for the back panels, woven mats are inserted as a core interfacing between the face fabric and lining.

Designs and colors

Bold designs are common, often gold against a strong color like red, navy, purple, green, or white. Geometric patterns are common, though painterly motifs like large waves became common in the late Edo period.

Sashinuki 指貫

Description

Sashinuki are pleated courtier’s pantaloons that have hem ties so they can be bound at the ankle. The soft cloth is given bulk by wearing it over okuchi.

Roles and draping

Courtiers, such as in Unrin’in and a variant costume for Shii no Shōshō in Kayoi Komachi wear sashinuki. As a courtier costume, sashinuki can be combined with round-collared courtier’s upper garments, either a nōshi or a kariginu.

Designs and colors

Court motifs such as floral rounds and wavy vertical lines.

Nagabakama 長袴

Description

Nagabakama, or “long trousers” are woven from bast-fibers like hemp and tailored to create a slender, pleated trouser with long trailing legs They can be either plain colored or decorated with paste-resist designs that coordinate with the designs on the upper half of a matched suit, such as a suō or kamishimo.

Roles and draping

Daimyō and upper samurai in both noh and kyogen wear nagabakama in combination with a matching hemp top, either the broad-sleeved suō or the winged vest similar to the kataginu. The performer tied the nagabakama over a kosode undergarment and upper garment that is tucked in at the waist.

Designs and colors

Many nagabakama have small overall stenciled paste-resist motifs (komon) with family crests at thigh level where the front and back panels join. Nagabakama may also be plain-colored or have large blocks of different colors.

Hanbakama 半袴

Description

Hanbakama, or “half trousers” are ankle-length pleated trousers commonly worn for kyōgen roles of servants and commoners. In matched-suit combinations, hanbakama serves as an alternative to nagabakama. When bound at the calves they are called kukuri-bakama.

Roles and draping

Kyōgen servants, commoners, and minor deities of subsidiary shrines. When worn with kataginu vests, there is no attempt to match the patterns and the vest is draped over the hanbakama, but when worn as a part of a matched suit kamishimo, hitatare, or suō outfit, the hanbakama patterns are coordinated with the patterns on the upper garment.

Designs and colors

Hanbakama worn for kyōgen roles, particularly when combined with kataginu generally have scattered crests or medallions done in paste-resist on dark or light blue, black, or various shades of brown. The hanbakama worn with a hitatare top for the role of Sanbasō in Shikisanban (Okina) has paste-resist designs of cranes and long-tailed tortoises.