.
>>> A SINGLE DRESS IN THE  COLLECTION OF A UNIVERSITY.
150-YEAR-OLD HEIRLOOM NOW  BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED.
A DRESS BEAUTIFULLY ADORNED.
YET THE PATTERNS ARE  TRADITIONALLY JAPANESE.
IN FACT IT WAS MADE WITH FABRIC  MADE IN TRADITIONAL KIMONO.
THE KIMONO DRESS.
IS THIS DRESS IS THE PRODUCT OF  THE MAJOR RESTORATION.
A TIME WHEN POWER SHIFTED FROM  THE SAMUR AI TO A MONARCHY THAT  AIMED TO SHAPE JAPAN INTO A  MODERN NATION.
THE SAMUR AI CUT THEIR TOP  KNOTS AND WOMEN OF THE UPPER  CLASSES STARTED WEARING WESTERN  DRESSES INSTEAD OF KIMONOS.
IN THE MID OF THIS THE DRESS  MADE WITH TRADITIONAL WOVEN  SILK FABRIC STANDS OUT.
>>  WHAT WAS THE INTENT IN THE  CREATION OF THIS DRESS AND HOW  DOES THAT TIE IN WITH THE  REVOLUTIONLY SHIFT IN JAPAN 150  YEARS AGO.
>>  THE KIMONO DRESS TELLS A  TALE OF HIDDEN JAPANESE  HISTORY, STUDYING THE HISTORY  OF ANGLO JAPANESE RELATIONS,  PROFESSOR ELEANOR YAMAGUCHI  LOOKS AT THE FABRIC OF THE  MAJOR RESTORATION FROM A UNIQUE  PERSPECTIVE.
THE BIRTH OF THE KIMONO DRESS  HAS ITS ORIGINS IN 1853.
THAT SAME YEAR THE WEST SAW THE  OUTBREAK OF THE CRIMEAN WAR AND  IN THE EAST CHINESE IMPERIAL  POWER WAS SHAKEN BY THE T AI  PEI CIVIL WAR.
ALONG THE COAST, FOUR UNITED  STATES WAR SHIPS APPEAR BACKED  BY MILITARY MIGHT.
THEY DEMAND THAT JAPAN OPEN ITS  PORTS.
WITH OTHER WESTERN POWERS  INCLUDING GREAT BRITAIN SOON  FOLLOWING SUIT JAPAN IS  COMPELLED TO OPEN ITS DOORS TO  THE OUTSIDE WORLD FOR THE FIRST  TIME IN OVER 200 YEARS.
THIS THEN SPARKED A CIVIL WAR  BETWEEN SHOGUN CONSERVATIVES  AND REFORMISTS.
THE SHOGUNATE GAVE WAY TO THE  GOVERNMENT LED BY THE EM, PEROR  WITH THE AIM OF SHAPING JAPAN  INTO A MODERN NATION.
THE KIMONO DRESS IS A PRODUCT  OF THIS ERA.
PROFESSOR ELEANOR STUDIES  JAPANESE INTERNATIONAL  RELATIONS IN THE 19th CENTURY.
NOTE THE FORM OF THE DRESS.
A STYLE POPULAR IN 19th CENTURY  EUROPE.
>>  IT'S A BUSTLE DRESS.
I LOVE THESE KIND OF FLOWING  VICTORIAN DRESSES AND THIS GOWN  IS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.
YEAH,.
>>  WHAT DETAILS ARE CONNECTED  TO THE CREATION OF THE KIMONO  DRESS.
WE VISITED A WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY  WHICH UNDERTOOK ITS EXAMINATION  AND RESTORATION.
WE'RE DIRECTED TO AN  UNDERGROUND STORAGE FACILITY HERE THE 150-YEAR-OLD DRESS HAS  BEEN REPRODUCED AND STORED.
>>  WOW.
BEAUTIFUL.
THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE  ELEMENTS STAND OUT.
>>> SHORT SLEEVED KIMONOS WERE  ONCE WIDELY WORN BY EVERYBODY  FROM COMMON ORS TO ERS TO THE  UPPER CLASSES.
THESE WERE CUT AND T AI LORED  TO FORM THE KIMONO DRESS.
A CLOSER LOOK REVEALS >>  THE SILK THREADS ON THEM.
THE EMBRODIERY IS ALSO SILK  THREAD AND THE FABRIC IS ALSO  WOVEN SILK.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT  WITH IN THE DRESS ITSELF.
>>  SILK.
SOFT, AND LUSTEROUS.
IN THE 19th CENTURY SILK  DRESSES WERE A SIGN OF A  PROSPEROUS NATION.
THE CRAZE FOR SILK DRESSES  MEANT THE KILK THREAD SOLD FOR  SUCH HIGH PRICES IT WAS KNOWN  AS WHITE DIAMONDS.
BOTH ITALY AND FRANCE WERE  KNOWN FOR THEIR WORLD CLASS RAW  SILK BUT IN THE 1850s AND 60s  DISEASE RAVA GED THE SILK WORMS  AND PRODUCTION SUDDENLY DROPPED.
EUROPEAN NATIONS TURNED TO  CHINA AS A SOURCE OF IMPORTED  SILK BUT THE CIVIL WAR THAT  STARTED IN 1851 MEANT CHINESE  PRODUCTION ALSO FELL.
BY THE END OF THE 19th CENTURY  THERE WAS A GLOBAL SHORTAGE OF  RAW SILK.
IT WAS THEN THAT WESTERN EUROPE  TURNED TO JAPAN WHICH HAD JUST  RECENTLY REOPENED TO WORLD  TRADE.
TRADERS EVERY NATION VIED TO  PURCHASE JAPANESE RAW SILK.
IT FETCHED 1.5 TIMES THE  DOMESTIC PRICE WHEN SOLD FOR  EXPORT.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SILK  TRADE AT THE TIME WE SPOKE TO  AN EXPERT.
>>> SILK PRODUCTION HAD LONG  FLOURISHED IN JAPAN.
BOTH THE REGIONAL LORDS  ENCOURAGED THEM TO INCREASE  PRODUCTION.
PRODUCTION OF SILK GOODS  CENTERED IN KYOTO ALSO  EXPANDED.
THE FABRIC WAS PRIZED FOR USE  IN HIGH END KIMONOS.
AT THE TIME OF JAPAN'S  REOPENING THE HIGH QUALITY RAW  SILK THAT SUPPORTED KIMONO  CULTURE WAS ALREADY IN WIDE  CIRCULATION IN THE DOMESTIC  MARKET.
>>> THE RISING DEMAND FOR SILK  OVERSEAS AS JAPAN ENDED IT'S  ISOLATION WAS A FORTUNATE  HAPPEN STANCE AND SIX YEARS  AFTER JAPAN REOPENED TO TRADE  IN 1865 RAW SILK ACCOUNTED FOR  80% OF ALL IT'S EXPORTS.
IN JAPAN'S QUEST TO MODERNIZE  RAW SILK BECAME AN IMPORTANT  SOURCE OF FUNDING.
WHITE DIAMONDS.
IN 1872, THE LEADERS OF THE  GOVERNMENT HEADED TO EUROPE TO  STUDY MODERN NATIONS.
AT THE TIME AN INCIDENT  HAPPENED IN GREAT BRITAIN.
SOMEONE SHOWED US A LUMP OF  LEAD IN A PACKAGE OF JAPANESE  SILK SAYING SEE, THIS IS THE  KIND OF FRAUD WE ENDURE.
IT WAS A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE  QUALITY OF JAPANESE SILK.
THIS IMAGE DEPICTS OVERSEAS  TRADERS WEIGHING RAW SILK FOR  EXPORT IN THE OFFICIAL TRADING  PORT.
THE PRICE OF RAW SILK WAS  DETERMINED BY WEIGHT AS A  RESULT THE PRACTICE OF ADDING  LEAD OR LINE BECAME A  WIDESPREAD PROBLEM.
THERE WAS ANOTHER REASON  JAPANESE SILK WAS SEEN AS  INFERIOR.
>>> JAPANESE RAW SILK LOST  CREDIT ABILITY CREDIBILITY BUT  BRITAIN CONTINUED TO PURCHASE  IT.
WHY WAS THIS?
>>  THIS BOOK BY ALCOCK WHO IS  THE REPRESENTATIVE IN JAPAN.
THIS IS FROM 1863 BUT IN THEY  ARE TALKS ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT  IT WAS FOR TRADE TO -- TO BE  SOMETHING THEY COULD DO.
>>  AS LONG AS REMAIN TAKEN  TRADE RELATIONS IT'LL BE  DIFFICULT TO ANNEX JAPAN  WITHOUT OUR CONSENT.
IF THE WESTERN POWERS WITHDRAW  IT IT'S ALMOST A CERTAINTY THAT  JAPAN WILL SOON BECOME PART OF  THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE.
AT THE TIME RUSSIA WAS PURSUING  A POLICY OF SOUTHWARD EXPANSION  WITH AN EYE ON ASIA.
IF JAPAN WERE TO BECOME A  RUSSIAN COLONY GREAT BRITAIN  WOULD LOOSE A FOOT HOLD IN  ASIA.
WHO WOULD CONTROL JAPAN?
TRADE WAS THE KEY.
AS THE BRITISH PROVIDED JAPAN  WITH A SOURCE OF FOREIGN  CURRENCY THEY ALSO CONDUCTED ON  SIGHT RESEARCH INSIDE ITS  BORDERS.
THE SECRETARY ADAMS OF THE  BRITISH EMBASSY TRAVELED RURAL  JAPAN TO LOOK AT THE STATE OF  SILK CULTIVATION.
HE THEN SAW THE TRADITIONAL  HAND MAKING OF SILK THREAD.
GREAT BRITAIN AND OTHER WESTERN  POWERS URGE THE JAPANESE  GOVERNMENT TO MECHANIZE THE  PROCESS ARGUING THAT IF THE  MACHINES THEN COMMON PRAISE IN  EUROPE WAS ADOPTED THAT  PRODUCTION VOLUME AND QUALITY  OF RAW SILK WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY  IMPROVE.
RECORDS FROM THE TIME SHOW THAT  ITO A KEY FIGURE IN THE  GOVERNMENT RESISTED REPEATED  DEMANDS FROM THE GREAT POWERS.
IN THE END A SILK MILL WAS  FINALLY ESTABLISHED IN 1872.
FRENCH ENGINEERS WERE BROUGHT  IN ALONG WITH 300 FRENCH STYLE  MACHINES WHICH WERE THE MOST  ADVANCED OF THEIR TIME.
ITO WAS CLEAR THAT'S FACILITY  BE OPERATED BY THE JAPANESE  GOVERNMENT AND SO IT BECAME  STATE RUN.
THE MACHINE PULLS THE SILK,  BUNDLES THE STRANDS TOGETHER  AND TWISTS THEM INTO A SINGLE  STRAND OF RAW SILK.
THE IMPROVEMENT IN EFFICIENCY  ENABLED MASS PRODUCTION.
APPROXIMATELY 400 ALL FEMALE  EMPLOYEES LEARNED THE LATEST  WESTERN PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES.
THREE YEARS LATER A MOVEMENT  STARTED TO TAKE SHAPE TO  DEVELOP COMPETING PRODUCTS  INSTEAD OF BORROWING FROM THE  WEST.
THE FIRST RAW SILK REELING  MACHINE EVER DEVELOPED IN  JAPAN.
IT WAS BUILT BY A SILK MERCHANT  TAKING YEARS TO COMPLETE.
HE WAS SO ABSORBED IN HIS  DEVELOPMENT THAT HE BECAME  KNOWN AS A MACHINE FAN.
HE VISITED THE STATE RUN MILL  CLOSELY LOOKING AT THE IMPORTED  MACHINERY.
THEY ARE BOILED TO LOOSEN THE  THREADS AND THEN WOUND BY  MACHINE.
WITH WATER SUPPLIED BY IRON  PIPES THE FRENCH VERSION WAS  ALMOST ENTIRELY MADE OF METAL.
AFTER CONDUCTING HIS RESEARCH  HE RETURNED TO WORK ON MAKING  IMPROVEMENTS.
THE BASIN WAS MADE OF LOCALLY  PRODUCED CERAMICS INSTEAD OF  METAL.
HE USED WOOD IN PLACE OF METAL  AND MADE THE DESIGN MORE  COMPACT.
HE ALSO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE  LOCATION WHICH IS BORDERED BY  MOUNTAINS AND LAKES.
>>> THE POWER TO RUN THE MILL  ALSO CAME FROM A WATER WHEEL.
BEING ABLE TO PRODUCE THE  MACHINES AT A THIRD THE COST OF  IMPORTED SILK REELING EQUIPMENT  THE DESIGN QUICKLY SPREAD.
THIS LED TO THE ESTABLISH  MEMBER OF SILK MILLS ALL OVER  JAPAN AND THE VIEW THAT  JAPANESE RAW SILK WAS INFERIOR  SLOWLY FADED.
THE MACHINE IS USED TODAY --  EVEN THOUGH IMPROVED HUMAN  EXPERIENCE IS STILL AN  ESSENTIAL AGREEMENT FOR  PRODUCING HIGH QUALITY RAW  SILK.
THIS IS THE PROCESS OF ADDING  THREADS FROM THE INDIVIDUAL  CACOONS.
RAW SILK MADE WITH THE MACHINES  IS STILL THE PRIDE OF THE  REGION.
>>> BY 1909 JAPAN BECAME THE  WORLD'S LARGEST EXPORTER OF RAW  SILK.
ADAPTING METHODS DEVELOPED  ABROAD GAVE RISE TO MADE IN  JAPAN.
IN TURN BECAME A SOURCE OF  FOREIGN CURRENCY SUPPORTING THE  BIRTH OF A NEW JAPANESE NATION  THAT STARTED WITH THE  RESTORATION.
WHO WAS THE WOMAN THAT WORE THE  KIMONO DRESS?
THE DRESS WAS THE PROPERTY OF  -- BORN AS A DAUGHTER OF THE  NOBILITY.
SHE MARRIED AT AGE 26.
THE WEDDING CEREMONY WAS HELD  IN ROME.
HER SOON TO BE HUSBAND HAD NOT  LONG AFTER THE LOSS OF HIS  FIRST WIFE BEEN SENT AS THE  JAPANESE ENVOY TO ITALY.
THE FAMILIAR OF THE ROYAL  FAMILY WAS RECOMMENDED AS A  SUITABLE WIFE FOR A DIPLOMAT  AND THE MARRIAGE WAS QUICKLY  ARRANGED.
NOW HE DESCRIBES HIS IMPRESSION  SOON AFTER HER ARRIVAL.
>>  THERE ARE MANY DINNER  PARTIES AND EVENING EVENTS.
NEVER A MOMENT'S REST BUT SHE  HANDLES IT EASE.
>>  SHE IS VERY PRETTY LADY.
ISN'T SHE?
YEAH.
HAVING TO WEAR THESE VERY TIGHT  FITTING DRESSES.
SHE GOES TO ITALY.
SHE IS PROBABLY NOT USED TO THE  LANGUAGE.
SHE IS NOT USED TO THE FOOD.
LOTS OF VERY DIFFICULT THINGS  SORT OF COMING INTO HER  EXPERIENCE THAT SHE WOULD HAVE  REALLY HAD QUITE A BIG  CHALLENGE WITH THOSE.
>>  IN 1882, SHE RETURNED TO  JAPAN.
THE NEXT YEAR SHE OPENED A NOW  FAMOUS GUEST HOUSE FOR FOREIGN  DIGNITARIES IN TOKYO.
SHE DREW ON HER EXPERIENCES IN  WESTERN HIGH SOCIETY TO BECOME  A KEY FIGURE HOSTING DANCES AND  OTHER SOCIAL EVENTS.
THE WIV SECONDS OF HIGH RANKING  OFFICIALS TO SOON SHIFTED FROM  WEARING TRADITIONAL KIMONOS TO  WESTERN STYLE DRESS ENGAGING IN  THEIR UNIFORM OF DIPLOMACY.
HOWEVER, THIS WAS NOT  PARTICULARLY WELL RECEIVED BY  THEIR WESTERN COUNTERPARTS.
>>  WE HAVE AN ARTICLE FROM THE  LADIES PICTORIAL MAGAZINE WHICH  WAS PUBLISHED IN 1889  EXPLAINING HOW THE JAPANESE  WOMEN LOOKED IN THEIR WESTERN  STYLE DRESSES.
THEY SAY BECAUSE THEY LOST ALL  GRACE AND DISTINCTION AND  BECAME MERELY BADLY FIGURED  LITTLE WOMEN DRESSED IN  ATROCIOUS TASTE AND WITH THEIR  TOES TURNED IN LIKE SO MANY  DUCKS.
ONE LADY WHO APPARENTLY FELT  PERFECTLY SATISFIED WITH HER  CUSTOM WORE A VERY CRUMPLED AND  SHORT DRESS OF SALMON PINK  TRIMMED SCARLETT, A SCARLETT  OSTRICH.
THIS WAS THE KIND OF ATTITUDE  THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD AND OF  COURSE IN THE BACK OF THEIR  MINDS THEY THINK PLEASE WEAR  KIMONO.
>>  ITO ON THE OTHER HAND SAW  THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
HE HELD THE CONTRASTING VIEW  THAT IF JAPAN WAS A MODERN  NATION WESTERN CLOTHING WAS  ESSENTIAL.
>>  THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT OUR  ENTRY INTO WORLD POLITICS  DEMANDS.
WHEN OUR WOMEN ARRIVE IN  TRADITIONAL COSTUME THEY ARE  SEEN AS TOYS OR DECORATIVE  FIGURES.
IN 1887, THE EMPRESS, VOICED  HER SUPPORT FOR THE WEARING OF  WESTERN DRESS.
WESTERN DRESS IS SIMILAR TO  THAT WORN BY WOMEN IN ANCIENT  JAPAN DIVIDED IN TO TOP AND  BOTTOM ELEMENTS.
AS IT OFFERS MORE FREEDOM OF  MOVEMENT IT IS ONLY NATURAL TO  ADOPT WESTERN FASHION.
SHE ALSO ARGUED THAT DOMESTIC  PRODUCTION OVER IMPORTING WOULD  LEAD TO PROSPERITY FOR JAPAN AS  A NATION.
IT'S THOUGHT THAT HER WORDS  RESONATED INSPIRING HER TO TURN  A KIMONO INTO A DRESS.
IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE  PERSON WHO DID THE SE WING WAS  JAPANESE.
>>> A DESIGN INSPIRED BY THE  TRADITIONAL BEAUTY OF THE  KIMONO.
SYMBOLICIMBRODIERY FEATURING CHERRY BLOSSOMS IS RETAINED IN  THE FORM OF A WESTERN STYLE  DRESS.
THOUGH OUTWARDLY WESTERN WE CAN  SEE HER DEEP RESPECT FOR THE  JAPANESE SPIRIT.
IN 1889 THE CONSTITUTION OF THE  EMPIRE OF JAPAN WAS ADOPTED  DECLARING JAPAN A MODERN  NATION.
JUST 30 YEARS AFTER REOPENING  ITS DOORS TO THE WORLD FORMAL  ATTIR FOR PUBLIC FUNCTIONS WENT  FROM TRADITIONAL KIMONOS WORN  FOR OVER A THOUSAND YEARS TO  WESTERN ATTIRE.
>>  LOOKING BACK AT THIS 150  YEAR OLD KIMONO DRESS IT'S  FRAGILE, SMALL, DELICATE AND  YET IT'S STILL DEMONSTRATES A  REAL STRENGTH OF JAPANESE  SPIRITS WITH WESTERN LEARNING.
I THINK THIS REALLY SHOWS  JAPAN'S ABILITY TO ADAPT TO  CHANGING TIMES AND YET STILL  MAINTAIN IT'S NATIONAL PRIDE.
>>  A HIDDEN HISTORY OF JAPAN'S  MODERN -- UNCOACHED THE IN THE  FORM OF ITS KIMONO DRESS.
BEHIND THIS CLOTHING REVOLUTION  WE SEE JAPAN STRUGGLE TO  MAINTAIN ITS IDENTITY IN THE  RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD.