Entertainment · Books & Arts · 3 hrs ago
London exhibition showcases Kitakyushu’s bold coming-of-age fashions
Japan House London is showing bold coming-of-age outfits worn by eight young people from Kitakyushu, a city in southwestern Japan.
The exhibition includes a dragon-shaped costume, fur-trimmed kimono, accessories and video interviews with the participants.
The outfits were worn at Kitakyushu’s ceremony this year, part of a Japanese tradition held each January as young people reach adulthood.
Participants elsewhere in Japan typically wear formal kimono or suits, while Kitakyushu is known for increasingly extravagant fashion and hairstyles.
The city’s style has grown more flamboyant over time, with young people seeking to outdo those who came before them.
The trend was helped by designs for the 2003 ceremony from Miyabi Ikeda, who owns a formal wear rental shop and says she wants to support the participants’ spirit.
The exhibition highlights Japan’s regional cultural diversity and aims to show visitors a view of the country beyond familiar cultural images.
It remains open in London through April 18, 2027.
Japan House London is presenting an exhibition on the flamboyant coming-of-age fashions of Kitakyushu, a city in southwestern Japan.
The show features outfits worn by eight men and women at the city’s ceremony this year, including a dragon-shaped costume and a fur-trimmed kimono.
It explores how the city’s distinctive styles, from clothing to accessories and hairstyles, have become increasingly extravagant.
The exhibition also includes banners bearing participants’ names and video interviews with them.
It runs through April 18, 2027.
- Who
- Japan House London is hosting the exhibition, featuring eight Kitakyushu ceremony participants.
- What
- An exhibition explores the city’s flamboyant coming-of-age fashions.
- When
- It opens Wednesday and runs through April 18, 2027.
- Where
- Japan House London, London.
- Why
- The exhibition aims to highlight Japan’s diverse regional cultures and explore Kitakyushu’s distinctive coming-of-age style.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Miyabi Ikeda’s designs for Kitakyushu’s coming-of-age ceremony helped spark the city’s flamboyant fashion trend.
A media preview of the exhibition was held.
The exhibition is scheduled to open in London.
- Featured participants
- Eight men and women
- Exhibition venue
- Japan House London
- Exhibition end date
- April 18, 2027
- City represented
- Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture
- Exhibition title
- Tradition/Rebellion: Coming-of-Age Style in Kitakyushu, Japan
What people are saying
They want to outdo those who came before them, so they keep pushing the limits of flamboyance
I want to support that spirit