KABUKI KIMONO

KABUKI KIMONO: Costumes of Bandō Tamasaburō V

14 Dec 2024 – 9 Nov 2025

Textiles Gallery 5, lower ground floor

Admission is FREE

A new set of striking kabuki costumes belonging to the kabuki actor Bandō Tamasaburō V is on show this winter in the Ashmolean's Textile Gallery, until December 2025. Tamasaburō is the most popular and celebrated onnagata (male actor who performs female roles) currently on the kabuki stage.

The costumes selected reflect the wide variety of roles in this actor's long and celebrated theatre career, from court ladies and courtesans to fairy princesses.

You'll see intricately crafted kimonos that showcase a range of elaborate textile techniques, including weaving, dyeing, embroidery and hand-painting. These beautiful costumes are adorned with cascading wisteria and cherry blossoms by torchlight, golden peacock feathers and swirling dragons.

Costume for the Courtesan Agemaki in the play 'Sukeroku, Flower of Edo'

New Year decorations on black satin including a flamboyant, spiny lobster adorn this courtesan's robe.

Costume for the Courtesan Agemaki in the play 'Sukeroku, Flower of Edo'

Cherry blossoms and a ceremonial ‘flame drum’ and curtain used at court music performances. Representing the Girls Festival in March.

Costume for the Courtesan Agemaki in the play 'Sukeroku, Flower of Edo'

Peonies hand-painted in ink and gold pigment by the artist Muroi Toshio. The motif of peonies is linked to the actor Ichikawa Ebizō, who plays Agemaki’s lover, Sukeroku.

Costume for Lady Shizuka in the play 'Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees'

Weeping cherry and phoenixes on a white silk ground with gold diamond motifs.

Costume for the Demon Woman in the play 'A Gathering of Demons amidst the Autumn Leaves at Shinano'

This Nō-style robe is woven with maple leaves and gold diamond patterns on a gold ground.

Organised in collaboration with the Japan Foundation London

This exhibition has been made possible as a result of the British Government Indemnity Scheme. The Ashmolean Museum would like to thank HM Government for providing indemnity and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Arts Council England for arranging the indemnity.

Exhibition supported by:

The Shikanai Foundation

D-T Ltd

IndigoRose Project

Hugh Fraser Foundation

The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation

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