Contemporary Beautiful Women who Like Kimono (Nijūshi Kō Imayō Bijin)
Painted by Utagawa Toyokuni III 1863 (Bunkyū 3) Tokyo Shiryō Collection K1021-43-3

This is a set of Bijin-ga (Ukiyo-e print that portrays beautiful women) that depicted the women who liked kimono, the title of which was adopted from "Nijushikō (Twenty-four Paragons
f Filial Piety of Our Country)" painted by Toyokuni III.


The Twenty-Four Paragons of Filial Piety is a Chinese book about 24 people who possesed filial piety who would be model sons/daughters for coming generations. In consideration of the policy of the Tokugawa shogunate that promoted Confucianism, this was used as a textbook at a temple school. In immitation of this book, Contemporary Beautiful Women Who Like Kimono covers 24 women.
As the writing in the picture describes, this picture depicts a scene in which women, who like kimono, are looking at various kimonos at a kimono shop but cannot easily make a selection.
The letter of encircled "Dai (literally big)" can be found on the brazier, which indicates that this kimono shop is Daimaru-ya.
Beautiful dress has attracted women both in the past and today.

Print