Okosozukin 御高祖頭巾

 

Date and photographer unknown.

 

With the cold weather approaching, it's time to introduce 御高祖頭巾 (okosozukin), head scarves worn by women during the Edo period until early Meiji period to protect them from the cold.

These kerchiefs, shaped like kimono sleeves, were worn with the face coming out from the sleeve entrance. The part for the head was folded, the left and right were turned and fixed in turn so the head (and sometimes mouth), neck and shoulders were covered.

These old photographs, from the Bakumatsu and early Meiji periods, are part of the Nagasaki University Library Collection.

 

 

Photo taken by Felice Beato between 1864 and 1866 and titled 'Costumes of the night'.

 the emblem of the lantern is that of the Ueno family, in the shape of a Chinese bellflower.

 

 

This photo was also taken by Beato.

 

 

Photo taken in 1872 by an unknown photographer.