The World of the Tale of Genji: Demonstration of Jyuni Hitoe

Reflections on The Tale of Genji...Japan is a country blessed with four seasons; seeking beauty in the changing seasons, living in harmony with nature, and treating nature as divine. A unique culture of respect for nature has been practiced in Japan. The Tale of Genji, elegantly depicting the lives of court aristocrats in this culture, was written by Murasaki Shikibu more than 1,000 years ago in medieval Japan. The aesthetic of expressing seasonal change by layering colored clothing is called kasane no irome, or Juni-Hitoe (twelve-layered Kimono), and was cultivated in the Imperial court.

One of the ceremonies held in the Imperial Palace was “mogi”, a rite of passage into adulthood for girls. Princesses wore mogi clothing for the first time at around age 14.

Noble families with a daughter held a large-scale mogi ceremony to announce that the girl was ready to enter court and get married. Today we will demonstrate this ceremony.

Host or Publisher Honolulu Foundation/Women Support Center of Hawaii