The beauty of Japanese traditional costume—unchanged in more than a thousand years. Developed in the eighth century, the kimono is still worn on special occasions in Japan. In this visually beautiful book, Sacico Ito introduces typical kimono styles of each era and the types of kimono for various occasions. Sacico Ito comments, "I have created this book for two principal reasons. First, I hope to share with my readers the wonders of the deep, unbroken history of the kimono, which has helped forge our taste, our sensibility, even our humanity. That tradition, part of the context of our lives, is a source of joy. Second, I would like to propose the kimono, that set of flat surfaces that so gracefully enfolds one, as a possible answer to achieving a more gracious and magnanimous spirit."