Robe (Kosode) with Cherry Blossoms and Cypress Fence

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The design on this rare kosode (garment with small sleeve openings), with its pattern of cherry blossoms, a fence, and carriage wheels, is an example of the bold, largely diagonal compositions that appeared beginning in the mid-seventeenth century. The donation of precious garments to Buddhist temples has been a common practice throughout much of Japanese history, and these gifts of clothing were often transformed into Buddhist altar cloths (uchishiki) and vestments (kesa). This kosode’s past is unknown, but it has been remade, and its slightly incomplete form suggests that it may once have been an altar cloth.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art