The official , used from the Meiji period until the end of the Second World War, consisted of European-inspired clothing of the 1870's. It was first introduced at the beginning of the Meiji period and maintained through the institution of the constitutional monarchy by the Meiji Constitution, and represented the highest uniforms in use at the time. Uniforms for members of the peerage and civil officials were officially set.
History
When the Meiji Restoration began, those working to build the new government were wearing a diverse array of different clothing based on their social status during the previous Edo period. Nobles had their court wear and informal , samurai had the distinct and dress, and members of Westernized military forces had their Western-style uniforms. For example, during the Emperor's visit to Tokyo in 1868, opinions were divided between the high officials Nakayama Tadayasu and Date Munenari. Nakayama argued that should be worn only when departing and when entering the castle, while would be worn en route; Date held that should be worn only when entering the castle, with and both allowed en route. As a result, it was decided that both and would be allowed en route, with also permitted when entering the castle. Furthermore, the colors and designs on the , , and were all unique to each individual, destroying the visual unity of the procession. Meanwhile, the soldiers guarding it were dressed in Western-style uniforms, but were not at all accustomed to the clothing. Ernest Satow commented that their slovenly appearances ruined the solemnity of the procession. This lack of uniformity was once again evident on the Emperor's repeat visit the next year.
The situation was clearly untenable, and so after the election of officials to the new government in summer 1869, the Minister of Justice Saga Saneharu was put in charge of the problem. In a meeting of the legislature that winter, Iwakura Tomomi proposed deliberation over the court dress for governmental officials that Saga and his helpers had come up with. However, as this design was based on the former dress of court nobles, it met with opposition from those of samurai descent. In order to resolve this disorder, the was released on October 17, 1871. In order to quiet the still attached to traditional styles of dress, the order claimed that and similar kinds of clothing were weak, and Japan should go back to the styles of the time of Emperor Jimmu and Empress Jingū. The "styles of that time" meant tight sleeves and narrow , and so the order implied that Western-style dress, complying to these standards, had much in common with the essential garb of the Japanese themselves. Calling back to the spirit of Jimmu's legendary founding of the country, it appealed for the creation of a new uniform.
On December 12, 1872, the Dajō-kan released an edictDajō-kan Edict No. 339 of December 12, 1872. 大礼服及通常礼服ヲ定メ衣冠ヲ祭服ト為ス等ノ件 [Taireifuku oyobi tsūjōreifuku wo sadame, ikan wo saifuku to nasu nado no ken]. View here. implementing regulations for the uniforms of civil officials and nobles, and on December 29 of that year another edictDajō-kan Edict No. 373 of December 29, 1872. 大礼服及通常礼服著用日ノ件 [Taireifuku oyobi tsūjōreifuku chakuyoubi no ken]. View here. determined regulations for their wearing. The new official uniforms were indeed designed based on the court uniforms used in Europe at the time. The first of these edicts also designated white tie dress as the court dress of choice for those not entitled to any particular court uniform, such as private citizens.
The uniforms for members of the Imperial Family were first decided by an edict of the Dajō-kan on February 22, 1873, and then updated in 1876 and 1911.
After the Peerage Act of July 7, 1884, divided the existing into five ranks, the Ministry of the Imperial Household further established the uniforms for these new subcategories. On October 29 of the same year, another edict of the Dajō-kan created gown-type court uniforms for senior officials within palace agencies like the Board of Chamberlains and Board of Ceremonies. From 1888 to 1889, various other personnel were outfitted with uniforms and assigned court uniforms. The Imperial Household Agency's uniforms underwent major changes in 1911 and 1928.
On June 23, 1886, provisions were set to determine formal Western wear for women. In order from most to least formal, these were the manteau de cour, robe décolletée, robe mi-décolletée, and robe montante.
On December 4 of the same year, the designs of the court uniforms for civil officials were modified, but the designs for junior officials were not updated. Because the officials were responsible for providing their own court uniforms, the cost had been too much for junior officials. From this point on, junior civil officials wore standard white tie court dress. The difference in price was extreme: when the official Kikuchi Takeo ordered both a three-piece suit and his court uniform at the same shop, the suit cost 28 yen and the uniform 220 yen.
On March 2, 1908, an Imperial edict established substitute court uniforms for diplomats dispatched to the tropics or very hot areas. Later, on September 29, 1926, another Imperial edict established alternative court uniforms and court dress for Japanese officials in the South Pacific. All of these consisted of white tunics. Old news footage shows officials of the South Seas Mandate, including Kōki Hirota, in these clothes.Kōki Hirota is seen in Japan News No. 111 and No. 166 ; in No. 24
Although their names differed, naval and military officers also had dress corresponding to court uniforms. Unlike civil officials, military officials were allowed to wear their uniforms to personal ceremonies such as marriages and funerals.
These various kinds of court uniforms continued to be used at court functions and ceremonies even into the Shōwa period, at events like the Imperial enthronement and the Duke of Gloucester' visitVideo of Duke of Gloucester's arrive to Japan（YouTube） or the first visit of Emperor of Manchukuo Puyi to Japan.Video of Puyi's welcome at Tokyo Station（YouTube） However, as the strain of war continued, opportunities for their use became rarer and rarer. On July 2, 1938, the Imperial Household Agency announced its policy to stop wearing robes by simplifying court ceremonies while the 'Incident' continued, and accordingly the court uniforms disappeared from public view. "Kanpo" No. 3449 "Court Recorder" (in Japanese) 4 July 1938.
When Mitsumasa Yonai became Prime Minister during the Second Sino-Japanese War, his morning dress could not be tailored in time for the appointment, and he wore a naval uniform in its place at his official investiture.Concerned that becoming prime minister while still an active naval officer would infringe upon the Emperor's supreme command authority, Yonai transferred to the first reserve. His naval full uniform is on display at the Morioka Memorial Museum of Great Predecessors.
After the war, Imperial Household Agency edicts and the pertinent Dajō-kan edicts were abolished, on May 2, 1947,Imperial Household Ordinance No. 12 of May 2, 1947. 皇室令及附属法令廃止ノ件 [Kōshitsurei oyobi fuzoku hourei haishi no ken] and July 1, 1954,Law No. 203 of July 1, 1954. Act on the Adjustment of Cabinet and Prime Ministerial Laws and Ordinances (内閣及び総理府関係法令の整理に関する法律 [Naikaku oyobi sourifu kankei hourei no seiri ni kansuru houritsu]) respectively. The Empire of Japan's court uniforms disappeared with them, but similar male uniforms do remain in use around the world, including in France, various South American countries, and Thailand.
Court uniforms for civil officials
Three of the highest subcategories of civil officials were allocated specific court uniforms: , , and .
These uniforms were officially decided by edict of the Dajō-kan on December 12, 1872. The Iwakura Mission, which had departed Japan earlier, also gathered information on uniform design via Hayashi Tadasu. However, the mission had no time to wait for a final decision before an audience with Queen Victoria. They therefore ordered uniforms in England, based on the designs they had been discussing with the homeland. Unfortunately, the designs they reported back were determined to be impossible to create in Japan's still-immature Western clothing stores and were not adopted directly. The versions ultimately decreed by the Dajō-kan differed considerably from the Iwakura mission's prototypes. The Dajō-kan's edicts were still incomplete as a form of law, and the details of the original edict itself were in some areas insufficient, so variations were visible depending on the manufacturer.
There were also problems with the uniforms themselves. The pants for were designated as being white, but in Europe white pants were only worn in court uniforms on special occasions. This issue was even pointed out by Otto von Bismarck when the Iwakura mission visited Germany. On September 18, 1877, an edict of the Dajō-kan brought these pants into line with the coats, changing them to the same black wool material.
Aiming to set clear and unified standards for the uniforms, the regulations were amended on December 4, 1886, by an order of the Ministry of the Imperial Household. Pictures and diagrams were published in an official telegram, and related manufacturers were provided with sample illustrations printed in color.
The amendment was targeted at the uniforms for senior officials. Those of junior officials were not addressed and instead died out. A minor amendment from the same office on December 10, 1892, modified the side decorations on the uniforms of . Correspondence between the Cabinet's chief clerk Kawasaki Takashi and Under-Secretary of the Army Hajime Sugiyama suggests that further modifications to civil officials' uniforms were being considered at the time of the 1928 changes to the uniforms of the Imperial Household Agency.
Court uniforms to the 1872 Dajō-kan standard
Court uniforms of the Iwakura Mission
Composition Hat , , and wore the same kind of hats, but had different embellishments to the decoration on the right side. Coat A frock coat of black wool. The various ornamented areas were decorated based on rank: used 5-7-5 leaf paulownia flowers, surrounded by densely embroidered paulownia buds. used 3-5-3 leaf paulownias with more sparsely embroidered paulownia buds. use the same decorations as , but the paulownia buds are sparser yet. Vest A wool vest; white for , dark gray for , and navy blue for . After the September 18, 1877, edict of the Dajō-kan, black was also allowed for and . Trousers Wool trousers; white for , dark gray for , and navy blue for . After the September 18, 1877, edict of the Dajō-kan, black was also allowed for and .
Ornamentation Ornamented areas had ornamentation at the collar, back, chest, sleeves, sides, and small of the back. had decorations only at the collar, sleeves, sides, and small of the back. had decorations only at the collar and sleeves. used embroidery in at the rim of the ornamentation and the fringe of the coat. and used plain solid lines in these areas. Rank indication Embroidered in the ornamented areas of both sleeves. Each line was one (about ) across, and the space between lines was eight (about ). The lowest rank within each of the , , and classes wore one line and a line was added for each additional rank. Buttons wore gold-coated buttons inlaid with a 5-7-5 leaf paulownia flower, gold-coated buttons with a 3-5-3 leaf paulownia, and silver-coated buttons with a 3-5-3 leaf paulownia. Those used on the coat rather than the hat decoration also had a raised rim about three () across.
Uniforms for lower officials Civil officials below the level used standard white-tie court dress. However, the higher-ranking among these affixed symbols of their ranks to each cuff.
After the 1886 revision
Court uniforms for court ranks