O'Konichivasan (1898) by UnknownUSC Pacific Asia Museum
Children's Fashion
Fashion is how we express our identity, perceive one another, and understand our origins. When you look at these photographs, what do you notice?
Two children, a boy and a girl, pose in front of the camera. The girl, smiling, is wearing a kimono with block and floral patterns with a neat bun. The boy, open-mouthed, is wearing a Haori.
Children Near The Senjokaku Hall (1906-10-07) by UnknownUSC Pacific Asia Museum
Children near Senjokaku Hall (Pavilion of 1000 Mats)
After 1854, with the Treaty of Kanagawa, Western influence—such as fashion and clothing—began to enter Japan. While fashion is not gender-specific, ideas of gender fluidity were rare during this time. References to “feminine” or “masculine” align with conventional gender roles.
Children's Kimono With The Japanese Flag Pattern (1928/1938) by UnknownUSC Pacific Asia Museum
Boy's kimono
The design features a blue-and-white checkerboard background with jumping horses and jockeys, complemented by Japanese flags. Dating to the Late Meiji period (1928-1938), this kimono was crafted from omoshirogawa, a topical novelty textile.
Just as Y2K-inspired fashion gained popularity in 2025, Western clothing worn by men and young boys in the early 1900s was seen as a trend that modernized Japan (fukusei) and pushed the country into a new era marked by technological progress and stronger international ties, especially with the U.S.
By promoting this false standard among Japanese men, it shaped the gender identity of young boys.
Fireman's coat with buckle
Examples include British suits or yōfuku, common among white-collar workers, and gakuran, a Japanese school uniform inspired by military uniforms. Western clothing symbolized Japan’s modernization and military power. These uniforms helped shape a new Japanese masculinity.
Kimono Featuring A Swirling Circle Pattern (1926/1989) by UnknownUSC Pacific Asia Museum
Kimono featuring a swirling circle pattern
In a reversal, it was seen as rebellious for women to wear Western clothing; the traditional idea of masculinity in Western dress was already deeply rooted in Japanese fashion.
Kimono Featuring A Swirling Circle Pattern (1926/1989) by UnknownUSC Pacific Asia Museum
During this time, middle-class feminists, also known as moga (modern women), would wear gender-specific Western attire to protest and demand rights usually reserved for men.
This rebellious fashion trend was soon cracked down on by the government, which required women to wear monpe, typically for working-class women, instead of kimonos, which were reserved for the wealthy, and was viewed as “too frivolous” for the middle class.
Hadajuban Under Kimono With Designs Of Soldiers And Airplanes (1930/1940) by UnknownUSC Pacific Asia Museum
Hadajuban under kimono with soldier and airplane designs
As a result, wealthy Japanese individuals would wear kimonos with extravagant patterns and textures such as red and yellow swirls. But also designs that reflected the current cultural advancements, such as the promotion of Japanese pride or the integration of the airplane.
Three Japanese boys fully dressed and cheerfully holding imperial Japanese flags, their faces full of excitement and pride.
These fashion trends would permeate to children, such as these young girls wearing kimonos or hakamas with socks and zeta.
Little Girls at baba (Probably November 3, 1906) by UnknownUSC Pacific Asia Museum
Four little girls
A minor detail in fashion also indicated different class structures and filial responsibilities in Japan. The picture shows four girls with neat hairstyles.
The wealthy children have neatly groomed hair, with one even sporting a Western-style hair bow, reflecting their access to rare Western symbols.
Children Carrying Babies Between Kuba and Miyajima (1906-10-01/1906-10-30) by UnknownUSC Pacific Asia Museum
Children carrying babies between Kuba and Miyajima
Meanwhile, three rural children, each carrying their infant sibling, have their hair styled into loose, messy buns, with one wearing a traditional Hanten and two wearing a Tenugui to absorb sweat in the sun. In the background, there are two Minka (民家) or "folk house.
Women and little children waiting for Japanese in Tea Garden (1898) by UnknownUSC Pacific Asia Museum
Children waiting in a tea garden
Western fashion trends expressed the concept of modernity, revealing the backwardness common in colonial contexts and highlighting the specific limitations placed on different genders and classes. Meanwhile, fashion in Japan mirrored the country's social and political changes.
Funding generously provided by The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation
Photography by Peter Perigo
Curation and writing by Juri Kim
Special thanks to Annie Lee, Director of Collections, Compliance, and Exhibitions at the University of Southern California Pacific Asia Museum, and Professor Andrew Campbell, Associate Professor of Critical Studies at the University of Southern California Roski School of Art and Design.
Works Cited
Molony, Barbara (2007). "Gender, Citizenship, and Dress in Modernizing Japan". M. Roces & L. Edwards (Eds), the Politics of Dress in Asia and the Americas. London, UK: Sussex Academic Press.
Osakabe, Yoshinori (2018), Pyun, Kyunghee; Wong, Aida Yuen (eds.), "Dressing Up During the Meiji Restoration: A Perspective on Fukusei (Clothing Reform)", Fashion, Identity, and Power in Modern Asia, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 23–45
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