Noh Costume (Karaori) with Cherry Blossoms and Fretwork

This robe is a robe for a female role in performed Noh dramas. The pattern features cherry blossoms in a range of colours. Again, the fabrics used are woven textile and brocaded patterns, elaborately made due to Noh being exempt from sumptuary laws. Here, this is a karaori, the outer robe for female roles, and is a kosode, in contrast to the longer sleeved ōsode. All the actors in these dramas were men, and the association with certain roles was based on specific patterns, garment types, and ways of draping the costume over the actor’s body (Denney 2008). It reflects the flexibility actors had here with how gender was presented, able to wear more feminine patterns to reflect the roles of men but also women.