A pond with carp and water lilies decorates the lower part of this kimono, and morning glories bloom at the shoulders. This early summer scene is on a blue-and-white background of silk gauze, subtly patterned in the weave with goldfish in water. This summer kimono is notable for its vivacious, youthful pattern and the high quality of its textile workmanship. It was worn by the donor's grandmother, one of four generations of female textile artisans in Kyoto, during her thirteenth year, around 1876, for her jūsan mairi (literally, "thirteenth temple visit") to Arashiyama Hōrinji, a temple in Saga, Kyoto, to receive blessings as she entered adolescence.
