Vintage Japanese Silk Tomesode Kimono Yuzen Botan Peony Gold Amber Showa

Vintage Japanese silk kimono with kamon crest, yuzen botan peony and orchid suso-moyō on gold-amber ground with bokashi gradation, red hakkake lining, Showa era

Japan; Showa era, mid-20th century, c. 1950s–1970s

A formally appointed vintage Japanese silk kimono in warm gold-amber (黄褄色, kō-iro), the ground woven with fine vertical gold thread stripes that give the fabric a quiet, luminous depth beyond what a plain-weave silk would achieve. A single white kamon (家紋, family crest) at the center back collar — a five-petal ume (梅, plum blossom) mon — marks this as a formal garment, appropriate for ceremonial occasions, wedding attendance, and other events requiring the wearer's family identification.

The decoration follows the suso-moyō (裾模様) convention of formal kimono, concentrated entirely at the lower body and front panels with a generous bokashi (暈し) gradation that fades from soft cream at the hem upward into the golden amber ground. Within this softened field, a large-scale naturalistic bouquet is rendered in the yuzen (友禅) tradition with confident, fluid brushwork: botan (牡丹, peony) blossoms in rust-red, cream-white, and warm gold-amber with rich green foliage dominate the composition; tall orchid or iris blades rise from the center with indigo-blue buds; and smaller white peony buds and trailing stem elements fill the surrounding ground. The palette — earthy reds, soft whites, olive and forest greens, accents of indigo — is pitched to harmonize with rather than contrast against the amber ground, creating a composition of considerable warmth and restraint. The lining is a traditional two-part construction: plain tan silk in the upper body, vivid red silk hakkake (八掛) at the hem — the red lining a time-honored marker of formal kimono construction that flashes at the hem as the wearer walks.

The botan (牡丹) peony holds the highest rank among flowers in both Chinese and Japanese decorative traditions — the "king of flowers" — and its appearance on formal kimono signals prosperity, good fortune, and feminine refinement. Combined with orchid or iris (emblems of elegance and seasonal beauty) in a yuzen composition of this scale, the garment is a considered statement of cultivated taste for a significant occasion.

• Fabric: Silk with fine woven vertical gold thread stripes
• Crest (kamon): Single white ume (梅, plum blossom) mon at center back collar
• Decoration: Suso-moyō yuzen botan peony, orchid/iris, and floral bouquet in rust-red, white, gold, and indigo with olive-green foliage; bokashi cream-to-amber gradation at hem
• Lining: Red silk hakkake (八掛) hem lining; plain tan upper lining
• Period: Showa era, mid-20th century, c. 1950s–1970s
• Dimensions:
• Condition: This is a vintage silk garment and may exhibit minor age-related characteristics such as slight discoloration, faint spotting, or occasional pulled threads consistent with its age and prior wear. A cluster of small spots is visible near the lower hem; please see photos for details and feel free to contact us with any questions prior to purchase.