Kimono

The gracefully, drooping bending carnations soften the strong vertical stripes in this kimono. The flowers are drawn with delicate shading in both the petals and calyx. Carnations are a Western flower and were first cultivated in Japan in 1909. They became a popular floral motif in the early Showa period. Stripes also became popular in the Taisho and early Showa period, before they were considered masculine.