Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum The 60th feature exhibition Botanical Patterns that colour the costumes

This museum exhibits ukiyo-e prints and paintings produced in Osaka in the Edo period. Most ukiyo-e paintings made in Osaka were portraits of actors. The actors drawn in the paintings in this museum were playing kabuki in Osaka theatres around Dotombori.

In kabuki plays you can enjoy beautiful Japanese scenery as they are played with the natural scenery of four seasons in the background. Costumes of actors that are drawn in ukiyo-e are designed to relate to the scene, story, or the character, allowing you to imagine the gorgeous stage at the time.

In this feature exhibition we focus on botanical patters among others that colour the kabuki costumes. Plants and flowers symbolize the nature and also are connected to Japanese sense of beauty. Enjoy the paintings of kabuki costumes with floral patterns.