This dark olive-green silk uchikake exemplifies the Japanese aesthetic principle of refined restraint, where quality of materials and construction communicate status more eloquently than elaborate surface decoration. The uchikake—a formal outer robe worn unbelted, draped over the shoulders and trailing behind—relies entirely on the beauty of its silk and the precision of its tailoring.
The fabric displays subtle woven texture, its muted olive tone shifting with light as the silk moves. Three small white floral family crests (mon) at the shoulders and upper back provide the only decorative elements, identifying the wearer's lineage while maintaining the garment's austere elegance.
The construction incorporates light padding throughout the body, with denser wadding concentrated at the hem to create the weighted fuki (padded hem edge) essential to proper uchikake draping. This structural padding helps the train pool gracefully when the wearer stands and flow elegantly during movement. The coral-vermillion lining visible at the hem and sleeve openings provides a flash of warm color—a refined accent that would appear dramatically during motion, following the Japanese aesthetic of revealing beauty through subtle glimpses rather than obvious display.
Such unadorned uchikake demonstrate that in the highest levels of Japanese textile culture, supreme confidence in quality materials and impeccable construction could speak more powerfully than any amount of embroidery or painted decoration.
It's in excellent condition, measuring 49 inches (125 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and standing at 63 inches (160 cm) in height.