Costumes of Noh

1. Costumes of Noh Barbara Hernandez

2. Surihaku To the left are two classic surihaku embroidered with flowers and leaves. To the right are two surihaku with repeating silver triangles in the uruko pattern, representing scales.

3. Nuihaku On the top right the close up of the sleeve gives a sense of how supple the fabric is. In the center picture below, the contrast between embroidery and foil embossing is clear. In the bottom left corner is an example of a nuihaku with family crests which would be especially appropriate for male characters.

4. Karaori To right are karaoriatsuita with geometric pattern intended for men To the left are typical feminine karaori. The top image exemplifies iro-iri while the image immediately below is an example of iro-nashi.

5. Choken In these images one can see that the sleeves are longer than in the previous garments. In the top left, one can see how the long sleeves can be soft and feminine. In the center left, one can see how, by tucking in the sleeves, the choken becomes hyper-masculine. Also, in the close-up picture to the right it is clear that the designs have not been embroidered onto the fabric.

6. Mizugoromo The image to the left shows a typical mizugoromo which might be worn by a character such as monk. The blue mizugoromo in the center dates from the 1800s, as does the tan mizugoromo to the left which has an unusual texture. All of these show how much thinner and lighter these garments are than others in Noh.

7. Happi Happi are similar in shape to choken but made of heavier fabric. Also, they are always lined. One can also note the straps on the sides of the bottom hem which connect the front and back panel, restricting movement more than the choken.

8. Okuchi The images to the left show the typical white or cream okuchi. The image in the top right shows a par of colored okuchi that might be worn by a female character. The bottom right image shows colored okuchi worn by a male character to represent a gentle aspect to his otherwise war-like personality.

9. Hangiri and Sashinuki Hangiri share the same design as okuchi but are defined by their bold patterns and use of gold embossing as is clear in the images of the left. Sashinuki, on the right, lack the broad back panel of okuchi and hangiri. Also, they have narrow ankles which create a baloon effect. Sashinuki can also be made using any color or pattern as suits the character.

10. Eri Both actors wear red eri, or collars, however in the female character to the left it likely represents passion. In the warrior character getting dressed in the picture below it would probably represent a more general vitality.

11. Bibliography Ashton, Dore. Noguchi, East and West. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992. "Costumes and Masks in Noh." Japanese Performing Arts Resource Center. GloPAC. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. “Costumes.” The noh . com. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. Sculpture in Silk. New York: Art Capital Group, 2003. Denney, Joyce. "Noh Costume". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. (December 2008) Kuritz, Paul. The Making of Theatre History. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1988. Lee, Sherman E. "Noh: Masks and Robes." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 62.2 (1975): 26-35. Cleveland Museum of Art. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. Vollmann, William. Kissing the mask : beauty, understatement, and femininity in Japanese Noh theater. New York: Ecco, 2011.