This meisen silk kimono displays a dynamic wave pattern, rendered in striking turquoise and cream against a rich brown ground, demonstrating the meisen weaving technique's capacity for creating complex, repeating designs through resist-dyeing methods. The stylized waves evoke the powerful maritime imagery found in Japanese art from Hokusai's iconic prints to contemporary interpretations, symbolizing strength, resilience, and the eternal flow of life, while their rhythmic repetition across the entire garment creates a sense of movement and energy befitting the modern era.

Interspersed among the undulating waves are thistle motifs in warm brown and gold tones, their spiky forms providing textural contrast to the fluid wave patterns. The thistle, though less common in traditional Japanese iconography, may represent endurance and protection, adding a layer of symbolic meaning to the design. The artistic approach reflects the influence of Art Deco and modernist design principles that were filtering into Japanese decorative arts during the 1920s and 1930s, with its emphasis on geometric stylization, bold color contrasts, and all-over patterning that breaks from the asymmetrical compositions of classical kimono design.

This summer kimono represents the democratization of fashionable dress during the Showa period, when meisen silk made stylish garments accessible to the growing urban middle class. The unlined construction and lighter weight fabric speak to practical considerations for warm weather wear, while the exuberant pattern reflects the optimistic, forward-looking spirit of Japan's modern age, before the sobering realities of war would reshape cultural expression in the following decade.

Measurements:  49 inches (125 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and standing at 62 inches (157 cm) in height.

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