Child’s Miyamairi Kimono

A child’s ceremonial Kimono that would be used on the occasion of a baby’s first visit to the family’s Shinto shrine. Traditionally, this ceremony would take place on the 31st day of a boy’s life and 32nd day for a girl. Today, the ceremony is held any time between the ages of 30 and 100 days. On this day, babies are taken by their parents, grandmother and/or godparent to be purified and blessed by a priest who recites Shinto prayers and waves a sacred staff strung with white paper streamers over the baby's head, which signifies recognition by the gods of the baby as a new being who needs protection. At the ceremony, the parents receive a protective effigy (a small paper mache dog) to take home with them. This happy occasion is later celebrated by drinking sake and eating sek-han (rice that has been cooked with red beans to give it a red color).

During the ceremony, the mother or grandmother holds the baby to her chest, and the special, oversized miya-mairi kimono is draped over the baby's back so that the elaborate design on the back of the kimono is showing. The trademark long ties on this kimono are then used to secure the robe in place by tying it around the adult's back. These kimonos usually come in three pieces. In this case, the decorated kimono and plain off-white under-robe with padding are present, and the option third piece, a bib (yodare-kake), is missing.

Because thse ceremonial infant kimono are very expensive, they are often rented for the occasion. Those families who do invest in a garment like this will often have it altered so the boy can wear it again as a haori (short coat) over hakama (formal pants) for a similar blessing ceremony that takes place at shichi-go-san ceremony held at ages 3, 5, and 7 (most commonly at age 5 for boys). In this scenario, the sleeves and length are adjusted, and the two long ties are removed. It appears that the ties have been temporarily basted in place in this example, perhaps in anticipation of future alteration, or so it could be reused for a sibling's miya-mairi ceremony.

The beautiful outer kimono is made of fine silk decorated with hand-painted Tanchozuru (red-headed cranes, or Grus japonensis). The scene of sand dunes with a hint of water and pines through the mist (hama mitsu) is an old motif dating back to 1000 A.D. This particular example features two interesting design conceits (visual metaphors reinforce one another). The first involves the baby's family crest (kamon) based on th ecrane motif and the five exquisite cranes (tsur) represented on the back of the robe. The second visual conceit or pun involves the use of the abstract pine bark diamond (matsu kaw bishi) design motif along the top and bottom edges of the central band of decoration, which plays thematically off the branches of noble pines (matsu) showing through the mist. To add to the power of these paired design elements, the combination of the crane and the pine, both of which represent longevity, makes this a particularly auspicious and appropriate image for the blessing of a new baby's life.

Techniques: hand sewn, painted
Culture:
Geographic Location:
Credit Line: Gift of Yvonne Porcella