Decorative Arts | 16th–19th century
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Summer Kimono (Katabira) with Wisterias, Peonies, Bouquets, Flowing Water, and Seigaiha Stylized Waves
Passed down by the Kishū Tokugawa clan, Edo period, 18th centuryJapanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 18
June 23, 2026 (Tue) - September 6, 2026 (Sun)From the late 16th century, changes in society helped artisans to develop the decorative arts. In the Azuchi–Momoyama period (1573–1603), samurai warlords united Japan after more than a century of fighting. The following Edo period (1603–1868) saw economic growth under a new samurai government, with merchants and other people gaining the wealth to buy art.
Potters succeeded in making Japan's first porcelain in the early 17th century. Methods for decorating porcelain and other ceramics then became more diverse, as shown by works with gold, silver, and color enamels. Meanwhile, textiles saw rapid technical advances. The loom was improved to make complex weaves possible, while dyeing became as detailed and expressive as painting.
Items like furniture and dining sets were coated with lacquer and decorated with metal powders, most often gold. Lacquer workers refined this technique, called maki–e, and combined it with new materials for more elaborate designs. Metalworkers also began using a wider variety of base metals and alloys, creating works with greater detail and precision.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Armrest with a Phoenix and Paulownia Tree | Azuchi-Momoyama period, 16th century | H-4502 | |||||
| Highlight | Portable Dining Set with Waves and Plovers | By Nagata Yūji | Edo period, 18th century | Gift of Mr. Nishiwaki Kenji, H-4278 | |||
| Highlight | Summer Kimono (Katabira) with Wisterias, Peonies, Bouquets, Flowing Water, and Seigaiha Stylized Waves | Passed down by the Kishū Tokugawa clan | Edo period, 18th century | I-1400 | On exhibit from June 30, 2026 | ||
| Highlight | Formal Summer "Waist-Wrap" Kimono (Koshimaki) with Pines, Bamboo, Plums, Hexagons, Linked Circles, and Floral Diamonds | Edo period, 18th century | I-3452 | On exhibit from June 30, 2026 | |||
| Highlight | Water Dropper in the Shape of a Beetle on an Eggplant | Edo period, 18th–19th century | Gift of Mr. Watanabe Toyotarō and Mr. Watanabe Masayuki, E-20637 |