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Student worksheet
9.3 The rise of the emperor
Pages 250–253

Continuity and change: the emperor’s new clothes

Source 1 Today, the traditional dress can be seen on the
dolls given to girls for Hina Matsuri (Girls’ Day) on 3 March
each year.
Although they were officially rulers, Japanese
emperors held little real power. They were not
involved in the everyday running of the country,
but had advisors and ministers to carry out these
functions. They lived with their Imperial Court in
an extravagant, private palace, detached from the
rest of society. It was a place of privilege and
beauty, dedicated to fine arts and learning. From
the Heian period, both men and women dressed
in elegant garments of layered silk. While the
clothing worn by women was called juni-hitoe, or
‘twelve layers’, they often wore up to sixteen. Men
wore fewer layers. Even after everyday clothing
changed, this traditional style of dress continued
to be worn for hundreds of years for important
occasions and ceremonies.

After 1867, when shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu handed over power to Emperor Meiji, this changed. In an
effort to modernise Japan, Emperor Meiji adopted many Western ideas, including fashions. Many of the
changes he implemented were unpopular, as they were seen to reject traditional beliefs and customs. In
1873, Meiji issued a statement, justifying cutting his hair and not wearing traditional Japanese robes:

‘We greatly regret that the uniform of our court has been established following the Chinese custom,
and it has become exceedingly effeminate in style and character … The Emperor Jimmu, who
founded Japan, and the Empress Jingu, who conquered Korea, were not attired in the present
style. We should no longer appear before the people in these effeminate styles. We have therefore
decided to reform dress regulations entirely.’

Statement by Emperor Meiji, 1873

The woodblock print at right shows Emperor Meiji

observing the making of silk (sericulture). He is
shown wearing a Western-style military uniform.
Next to him is Empress Haruko, wearing
traditional juni-hitoe attire.

Source 2

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In 1887, Empress Haruko also began wearing

Victorian-style dresses for formal occasions. She
explained:

‘Now we can no longer restrict

ourselves to bowing from a
kneeling position, but will have to
observe the Naniwa style of bowing
while standing. Moreover, if we look
at contemporary Western women’s
wear, we find that it combines a top
or jacket and a skirt in the manner
of our ancient Japanese system of
dress. This is not only suitable for
the formal standing bow but also
convenient for action and
movement and makes it only
natural to adopt the Western
method of sewing.’ Source 3 A portrait of Emperor Meiji, Empress Haruko and
their family
Statement by Empress Haruko, 1887

1 Examine the traditional clothing worn by the Imperial Court, shown in Sources 1 and 2. Why do you
think it was so elaborate? Why do you think courts after the Heian period continued to wear this style
for important occasions?

I think that the Japanese wore such elaborate clothes

because they wanted to show their position, the more elaborate
the clothes, the higher the person in the Imperial
Court.

2 a What reasons did Emperor Meiji provide for changing to the Western style of dress?

Emperor Meiji changed the style of dress to a more western

look because he thought the Japanese robes looked
too feminine.

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Oxford Big Ideas History 8 Victorian Curriculum Teacher obook assess ISBN 9780190307899
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b Do you think his reasons would have persuaded his subjects? Why/why not?

Yes, because he was the Emperor and they had to obey him.

3 How many years after the Emperor did Empress Haruko begin wearing Western-style clothing? Why
do you think this was?

It took 14 years for Empress Haruko to change her clothes

because she liked her clothes but she liked her husband
more.

4 Empress Haruko said that the juni-hitoe style of dress restricted women from bowing in the modern
way. What other activities would have been restricted by the many layers of clothing? Why might this
have become a problem in modern times?

Playing music and writing may have been

restricted by many layers of clothing.
Sporting activities in mordern times would be
restricted by many layers of clothing.
5 Why do you think the adoption of Western-style clothing and other changes made during the Meiji
Restoration were not popular among the people of Japan? Do you think it’s important to maintain
traditions and customs? List your reasons below and then discuss your points of view as a class.

Because they thought that the new style was not traditional
and they were used to the style of dressing that they had
been wearing for their whole life.
I do not think it is important to maintain traditions
as many traditions are bad, such as gay people
not being allowed to get married.

© Oxford University Press 2016

Oxford Big Ideas History 8 Victorian Curriculum Teacher obook assess ISBN 9780190307899
Permission has been granted for this page to be photocopied within the purchasing institution only.